Trump’s Labor Secretary Resigns Amid Internal Investigations

President Trump’s labor secretary, Lori-Chavez-DeRemer, has abruptly resigned from her post amid internal investigations into her professional conduct. The White House says she is returning to the private sector after having done “a phenomenal job.”Ms. Chavez-DeRemer was a surprise pick by Mr. Trump following his 2024 victory, given her status as a moderate GOP lawmaker from Oregon who supported expanding union rights — something that later became an issue for free market-loving conservatives in the Senate. She served one term in the House before losing re-election in 2024. Her departure from the administration comes after months of reporting on the toxic workplace she allegedly helped foster at the Department of Labor. Last year, the New York Post first reported that a formal complaint had been filed against Ms. Chavez-DeRemer with the department’s inspector general’s office. She was accused of having an “inappropriate” relationship with a subordinate, as well as having her staff schedule official travel for her that coincided with trips to visit friends and family, thus allowing her to save on travel costs at the expense of the taxpayer. Two of Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s aides were promptly placed on leave after they were accused of having knowledge of the inappropriate relationship and her use of taxpayer funds. In a statement Monday, White House communications director Steven Cheung announced that Ms. Chavez-DeRemer was resigning effective immediately. “Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector. She has done a phenomenal job in her role by protecting American workers, enacting fair labor practices, and helping Americans gain additional skills to improve their lives,” Mr. Cheung wrote. He announced that deputy secretary Keith Sonderling would take over as acting secretary effective Monday. Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s departure was first reported by NOTUS. Beyond the investigations into Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s personal conduct as secretary, her husband also had a reputation for misconduct around the building. In February, the New York Times reported that the secretary’s husband, Shawn DeRemer, had been barred from the Labor Department building after allegedly inappropriately touching two female staff members. Her nomination for the labor secretary role caught some of Mr. Trump’s most diehard supporters off guard, given her support for the PRO Act — a comprehensive bill to strengthen labor unions which has been criticized by many conservatives and business groups for going too far. In the end, three Republican lawmakers — Senators Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, and Ted Budd — voted against her nomination, though more than a dozen Democrats voted to confirm her.

Trump’s Labor Secretary Resigns Amid Internal Investigations

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