President Donald Trump said Monday he is nominating Keith Sonderling to serve as U.S. secretary of labor, a role Sonderling has been filling in an acting capacity since former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer left the Cabinet in April.
“It is my Great Honor to announce that I am nominating Keith E. Sonderling, the outstanding Acting United States Secretary of Labor, to be permanent,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump said Sonderling previously served as deputy secretary and chief operating officer and, during his first term, worked at the Labor Department as acting and deputy administrator of the Wage and Hour Division.
Sonderling thanked Trump in his own social media post, writing: “I am deeply grateful to President Trump for his trust and confidence. Serving in both of President Trump’s Administrations has been the greatest honor of my life. If confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to continuing that service as Secretary of Labor and advancing the President’s agenda on behalf of America’s workers, families, unions, and job creators.”
Before becoming deputy labor secretary, Sonderling served at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He also held roles as acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and acting under secretary of commerce for minority business development in 2025.
The nomination comes after Chavez-DeRemer stepped down in April following a series of misconduct allegations that prompted an internal investigation. The claims included that she had a sexual relationship with a member of her security team, sent staff to pick up liquor, and attempted to use business trips as excuses for personal travel. Her husband, Shawn DeRemer, also faced allegations that he sexually assaulted two female staff members.
Sonderling has already begun drawing attention in his acting role. On June 17, he sent letters to governors of 53 states and union territories demanding they take action to “combat waste, fraud, and abuse” within unemployment insurance programs. He threatened to withhold administrative funds for the first time in history if states did not comply.
“We are officially putting governors on notice,” Sonderling said on June 17. “The American people will no longer tolerate the blatant waste, fraud, and abuse of their hard-earned tax dollars — no state should allow it either. If states allow it, they will suffer the consequences. This department is no longer afraid to use every lever available to ensure taxpayer money is protected.”
In a Fox News appearance discussing the letters, Sonderling claimed that Democrat-led states — specifically California, New York and Illinois — have the highest instances of fraud in unemployment systems. He did not provide evidence to support that assertion.
“I will essentially cut off the states’ administrative funds and then they won’t be able to administer this unemployment insurance due to the fraud,” Sonderling said.
Sonderling’s nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.