Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has resigned from President Donald Trump’s Cabinet following multiple allegations of abusing her power, including an affair with a subordinate, drinking on the job, and improper use of staff for personal matters. Her departure was announced by a White House aide, with Keith Sonderling stepping in as acting secretary.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has resigned from President Donald Trump's Cabinet amidst a wave of serious allegations, including an affair with a subordinate, drinking alcohol on the job, and tasking aides to plan official trips for primarily personal reasons. Reports also detailed her husband and father exchanging personal messages with young female staff members, with instructions for staff to 'pay attention' to her family. The White House, through communications director Steven Cheung, announced her departure, stating she would take a private sector position and praising her work, despite the lack of a direct announcement from the President. Keith Sonderling, the current deputy labor secretary, will serve as acting secretary. Chavez-DeRemer's exit follows months of investigations first reported in January by various news outlets. Her departure has already led to at least four other Labor Department officials being forced from their jobs. Chavez-DeRemer herself denied the allegations, attributing them to 'high-ranked deep state actors' and 'one-sided news media' attempting to undermine President Trump. During her tenure, Chavez-DeRemer, a former House GOP lawmaker who garnered unusual union support, was a key figure in the Trump administration's deregulatory push. This included rewriting or repealing over 60 workplace regulations, such as minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities, and safety rules for mines and construction sites. Her department also canceled millions in international grants aimed at combating child and slave labor globally. Senator John Kennedy, R-La., expressed that the secretary demonstrated 'a lot of wisdom in resigning.'
