Senate confirms Keith Sonderling as labor secretary

Confirmation vote

The Senate confirmed Keith Sonderling as labor secretary Wednesday in a 47-41 party-line vote, formally placing him in charge of the Department of Labor. Sonderling had run the department in an acting capacity since late April, when Lori Chavez-DeRemer left the administration for the private sector. President Donald Trump nominated Sonderling in June, praising his commitment to producing results for working people.

The confirmation was the Senate’s final business before senators left town for the rest of the month. Senators were set to spend that time campaigning before the midterm elections.

Sonderling’s background and department transition

Sonderling previously held several positions at the Labor Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during Trump’s first administration. Before those federal roles, he practiced employment and labor law at a Florida law firm.

Chavez-DeRemer’s April departure came amid other changes in Trump’s Cabinet. Her exit followed Trump’s firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi and the replacement of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March. Before Chavez-DeRemer left, several news organizations had reported that the Labor Department’s inspector general was examining her conduct.

Sonderling appeared only briefly in the report, in a section stating that Chavez-DeRemer and her chief of staff had grown to distrust him.