Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer Resigns Amid Misconduct Claims/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving President Donald Trump’s Cabinet following multiple allegations of abuse of power and workplace misconduct. The accusations included claims of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate, drinking on the job, and misuse of staff for personal matters. Her departure marks the third Cabinet exit in Trump’s administration amid growing internal investigations.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer Leaves Trump Cabinet Amid Allegations Quick Looks
- Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving the Trump administration
- She faced allegations involving abuse of power and workplace misconduct
- Claims included an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job
- The White House said she is moving to the private sector
- Keith Sonderling will serve as acting labor secretary
- She is the third Trump Cabinet member to leave recently
- Chavez-DeRemer denied wrongdoing and blamed “deep state actors”
- Her tenure also included major labor regulation rollbacks
Deep Look
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer Exits Trump Cabinet
Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving President Donald Trump’s Cabinet after a series of allegations involving abuse of power, workplace misconduct, and improper personal conduct.
The White House announced Monday that Chavez-DeRemer would be stepping down from her role as labor secretary and moving into the private sector.
Her exit makes her the third Cabinet member to leave the administration in recent months, following the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March and Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month.
Unlike previous high-profile departures, the announcement came from White House Communications Director Steven Cheung rather than directly from Trump.
“Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector,” Cheung wrote on X.
“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.”
Investigations Followed Allegations of Misconduct
Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation follows months of growing scrutiny and internal investigations that began surfacing publicly in January.
One of the most serious accusations involved claims that she had an inappropriate relationship with a member of her security detail who worked as a subordinate.
The allegation first became public after the New York Post reported that a complaint had been filed with the Labor Department’s inspector general.
Additional accusations followed, including claims that she drank alcohol while on the job and directed aides to organize official travel for largely personal reasons.
A later report from The New York Times revealed that investigators were also reviewing personal messages involving Chavez-DeRemer, her aides, and members of her family.
According to the report, her husband and father exchanged text messages with young female staff members, while some staffers were allegedly instructed to “pay attention” to her family.
Those findings significantly increased pressure on her position inside the administration.
Chavez-DeRemer Denies Wrongdoing
Despite the mounting reports, Chavez-DeRemer has strongly denied wrongdoing.
Late Monday, she posted a statement on her personal X account accusing unnamed officials and the media of coordinating against her.
“The allegations against me, my family, and my team have been peddled by high-ranked deep state actors who have been coordinating with the one-sided news media and continue to undermine President Trump’s mission,” she wrote.
Earlier in the controversy, both the White House and the Labor Department had publicly dismissed the allegations as baseless.
However, as more reports emerged, those denials became less forceful and questions about her future in the administration intensified.
At least four Labor Department officials were reportedly removed during the investigation, including her former chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and the security detail member tied to the affair allegation.
Sen. John Kennedy commented after her resignation became public.
“I think the secretary demonstrated a lot of wisdom in resigning,” he said.
Unusual Republican With Strong Union Support
Before joining Trump’s Cabinet, Chavez-DeRemer served as a Republican member of Congress representing a competitive district in Oregon.
She was confirmed as labor secretary in March 2025 by a 67-32 Senate vote, reflecting unusually broad bipartisan support.
She stood out as a Republican with strong backing from labor unions, something rare for a GOP nominee in that role.
Her support for union-friendly legislation during her single House term helped shape that reputation.
She backed a bill that would have made it easier to unionize at the federal level and supported legislation protecting Social Security benefits for public-sector workers.
Prominent unions including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters publicly supported her nomination.
As the daughter of a Teamster, Chavez-DeRemer was seen by some as a strategic pick by Trump to appeal to working-class and union-affiliated voters.
Still, some labor leaders remained skeptical, questioning whether she would truly pursue a pro-union agenda inside a Republican administration known for aggressive deregulation.
Key Role in Trump’s Deregulatory Agenda
While her public profile remained relatively low, Chavez-DeRemer played a significant role in advancing Trump’s labor and workplace deregulation agenda.
Under her leadership, the Labor Department moved to rewrite or eliminate more than 60 workplace regulations considered outdated by the administration.
The proposed changes included rolling back minimum wage protections for home health care workers and people with disabilities, as well as safety rules involving exposure to harmful substances and mine safety procedures.
Other rollbacks included eliminating requirements for adequate lighting at construction sites and seat belts for agriculture workers using employer-provided transportation.
Labor advocates and workplace safety experts strongly criticized those changes, arguing they weakened worker protections.
Her department also oversaw the cancellation of millions of dollars in international grants aimed at fighting child labor and forced labor worldwide.
Those programs had helped reduce the number of child laborers globally by an estimated 78 million over the past two decades.
What Comes Next for the Labor Department
Keith Sonderling will now serve as acting labor secretary while the administration determines a permanent replacement.
The Labor Department remains one of the most influential agencies in federal government, overseeing unemployment data, workplace safety standards, wage disputes, child labor investigations, and labor union protections.
In her farewell statement, Chavez-DeRemer defended her record and signaled she plans to remain active in worker-related issues.
“While my time serving in the Administration comes to a conclusion, it doesn’t mean I will stop fighting for American workers,” she wrote.
Her departure closes a controversial chapter for the department, but the political fallout surrounding the allegations is likely to continue.
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