New York, April 21: Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the U.S. Secretary of Labor, has become the third cabinet member to resign within two months during President Donald Trump’s second term, amid growing controversies.
On Monday, White House Communications Director Steven Chang announced her resignation on social media platform X, stating that she will be moving to the private sector.
Chavez-DeRemer faced allegations of having an inappropriate relationship with a member of her security detail, misrepresenting personal trips as official visits, consuming alcohol in her office, and creating a chaotic work environment.
The three recent resignations from the cabinet have all been women. The other two are Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was removed earlier this month, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was dismissed last month. Noem also faced allegations of an affair with an advisor, which she denied.
During her tenure, DeRemer canceled millions of dollars in grants to international non-governmental organizations through the Department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, which were intended for anti-slavery and anti-child labor programs.
Chang stated that her deputy, Keith Sonderling, will serve as the acting Secretary of Labor. Trump has not publicly commented on her departure, but Chang noted, “She has done a tremendous job protecting American workers, enforcing fair labor practices, and helping Americans gain additional skills to improve their lives.”
Chavez-DeRemer’s Chief of Staff and the security personnel accused of the alleged relationship had already been dismissed. An investigation by the department’s Inspector General was underway regarding allegations of professional misconduct and interference by her family within the department.
Her husband, Shawn DeRemer, was banned from entering her office after several female employees accused him of misconduct, leading to a police investigation in one case.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has also initiated an inquiry into the allegations against her. The 58-year-old Chavez-DeRemer was a former member of the House of Representatives from Oregon, where she lost her re-election bid.
Trump appointed her to the position due to her support from the powerful Teamsters union, which backed his re-election campaign.
As Labor Secretary, she implemented measures that weakened several labor safety regulations, including workplace safety and minimum wage rules for certain categories of workers, which put her at odds with unions.
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