Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the labor secretary under President Donald Trump, is stepping down amid allegations of professional misconduct, making her the third Cabinet official to exit during Trump’s second term.
White House communications director Steven Cheung announced Monday on Twitter that Chavez-DeRemer would leave her role to enter the private sector, though he did not specify her next position. He added that Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling will serve as acting head of the department.
The controversy stems from a complaint filed with the Labor Department’s inspector general, first reported by the New York Post, accusing Chavez-DeRemer of misconduct, including using taxpayer-funded trips for personal travel. The complaint led to the suspension of several senior aides and included sexual misconduct allegations involving her husband, Shawn DeRemer. The allegations also include claims that Chavez-DeRemer drank on the job in her Washington, D.C., office and had an affair with one of her bodyguards.
Her resignation follows a New York Times report last week that she, along with top aides and family members, had sent personal messages to younger staffers—an issue currently under investigation by Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito. The report also alleged that Chavez-DeRemer and an aide asked staff to bring them wine during official trips.
This departure is the latest in a series of Cabinet changes since Trump returned to office in January 2025. He previously dismissed Attorney General Pam Bondi and removed Kristi L. Noem as homeland security secretary. Despite these shake-ups, Trump has largely filled his second-term Cabinet with loyalists, aiming to avoid the internal turmoil that marked his first administration.
Donald Trump’s administration is the most corrupt in American history, and more accountability needs to come to those who abused their power.
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