The White House announced Monday that Labor Secretary Lori Chavez Delemer is resigning from the Trump administration.
White House communications director Stephen Chan told the X-Post that Chavez Delemer, 58, will “enter a position in the private sector.”
Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling will take over the department on his behalf, Chan wrote.
Chavez Delemer is reportedly being investigated by the Labor Department inspector general for alleged professional misconduct, including using government resources for personal travel and having an affair with a member of his security team.
Chavez Delemer is expected to be questioned as part of an internal investigation in the coming days, a person familiar with the matter told MS NOW on Monday.
“She has done a phenomenal job in her role protecting American workers, enacting fair labor practices, and helping Americans acquire additional skills to improve their lives,” Chan wrote on the X-Post.
In a statement to MS NOW, Chávez Delemer’s lawyer, Nick Oberheiden, said: “Secretary Chavez Delemer did not resign because of any violation of the law. His decision to step down was a personal one.”
In a statement posted on social media, Chavez Delemer thanked President Donald Trump, saying it was “an honor and privilege to serve in this historic administration and to work for the greatest president of our lifetime.”
She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to “meet with workers across the country, hear their stories, and deliver victory for them and their families.”
“My term in the administration is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop fighting for American workers. I look forward to what the future holds as I depart for the private sector,” she wrote.
Sonderling also thanked Trump for the opportunity to serve as acting secretary of labor, writing in the X-Post that he will continue to fight to put American workers first.
The announcement adds to a short but growing list of senior government officials to resign or be fired from Trump’s second Cabinet.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez Delemer speaks about the government shutdown during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.
Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call Inc. | Getty Images
Kristi Noem, who led the Department of Homeland Security, was fired by President Trump on March 5, ending a tumultuous tenure highlighted by national controversy over immigration enforcement in U.S. cities.
Less than a month later, President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi and installed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in charge. The move comes amid reports that the president is increasingly dissatisfied with the Justice Department’s handling of matters involving notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein under Bondi.
Workers hold up a large photo of U.S. President Donald Trump next to an American flag on the facade of the Department of Labor headquarters building in Washington, DC, on August 27, 2025.
Drew Angerer | AFP | Getty Images
Chavez Delemer’s Ministry of Labor was controversial for other reasons as well.
The ministry’s social media accounts have come under fire for spreading rhetoric and images associated with far-right ideology, including posts that appear to reflect slogans used by the Nazi party.
Labor’s headquarters in Washington was one of several federal buildings, along with the Justice Department, to be adorned with a giant banner of President Trump’s face, drawing criticism.
Chavez Delemer’s husband, Dr. Sean Delemer, also came under intense scrutiny after news outlets such as MS NOW reported that at least two female employees claimed that Chavez sexually assaulted them at the Department of Labor building.
Delimer was reportedly prohibited from entering the building, but no criminal charges were filed.
