Lori Chavez-DeRemer Resigns as Trump's Labor Secretary Amid Misconduct Allegations

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the controversial U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Donald Trump, resigned her position on Monday, April 21, 2026, amid a series of misconduct allegations.

White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung announced the resignation in an X post the previous evening. Cheung praised Chavez-DeRemer’s performance, stating she had done a "phenomenal job." He also announced that Keith Sonderling, the current Deputy Secretary of Labor, would assume the role of acting secretary.

"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…"
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47), April 20, 2026

Chavez-DeRemer’s Political Background and Pro-Union Stances

Before joining the Trump administration, Chavez-DeRemer served as a Republican congresswoman from Oregon. She was one of the few Republicans to support federal legislation imposing pro-union policies nationwide, including:

• The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which aimed to:
• Make it harder to classify workers as independent contractors
• End right-to-work policies in states that enforce them
• Expand the power of the National Labor Relations Board
• Federal legislation to grant nearly all government employees the right to unionize
• Legislation to overturn state laws prohibiting public-sector workers from collective bargaining

Chavez-DeRemer lost her reelection bid in 2024. Her pro-union positions made her an unusual choice for a Republican administration. Her confirmation was contentious: three GOP senators, including Rand Paul, voted against her, while 17 Democrats supported her.

Misconduct Allegations and Personal Scandals

Investigations revealed that Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation was driven by personal behavior rather than policy disagreements. The Department of Labor (DOL) inspector general was probing allegations that included:

• Drinking alcohol on the job
• Having an affair with a member of her security detail
• Falsifying official travel plans to cover personal trips

Additional reports indicated that her husband had been accused of sexual misconduct by DOL staff and was reportedly banned from the department’s Washington, D.C., headquarters.

Last week, The New York Times reported on text messages sent by Chavez-DeRemer’s husband and father to female staff members. Politico cited a "Republican close to the Trump administration" who described the messages as "the final straw."

Chavez-DeRemer’s Statement on Resignation

In her own X post, Chavez-DeRemer reflected on her tenure:

"I am proud that we made significant progress in advancing President Trump's mission to bridge the gap between business and labor and always put the American worker first. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this historic Administration and work for the greatest President of my lifetime."

— Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer (@SecretaryLCD), April 20, 2026

Context: Third Cabinet Resignation in Trump’s Second Term

Chavez-DeRemer’s departure marks the third cabinet-level resignation in President Trump’s second term, following the exits of:

• Kristi Noem, former Homeland Security Secretary
• Pam Bondi, former Attorney General