Lori Chavez-Deremer, US Labor Secretary resigned, the White House announced on Monday. Her deputy, Keith Sonderling, will serve as the acting secretary.
“Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector,” White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung said in a post on X.
Chavez-Deremer took over the position in the agency in March 2025 after she served in the US House of Representatives for two years. Now, she’s become the third high-profile departure from President Donald Trump’s cabinet after Attorney General Pam Bondi and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem both settled down.
Her decision to step down also comes amid a series of misconduct allegations against her and top staffers on her team. There have been allegations that Chavez-Deremer had an extra-marital affair with a member of her security detail, drank on the job, and often had aides make up official events to aid her travel plans, as per a Politico report. Since then four people have left the Labor Department, drawing more attention to the matter.
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Brian Sloan, the security staffer who allegedly engaged in the extramarital affair with her reportedly resigned rather than cooperating with the probe. Melissa Robey, head of her advance team, was let go after she sat in an interview with investigators, as per the publication. Similarly, chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy chief of staff Rebecca Wright reportedly quit under pressure from the White House.
Amid the investigation it has also emerged that Chavez-Deremer’s father and husband sent personal texts to young female staffers.
Chavez-DeRemer’s father, Richard, reportedly texted a young female staff member in April, last year, claiming that had he heard she was “in town” and he wished “you would let me know.”
“I could have made some excuses to get out and show u around. Please keep this private,” Chavez allegedly wrote. Her husband also allegedly texted the same staffer some weeks later and wrote “I was feeling forgotten. I figured you were still in church repenting after your exposure to the demon state of Oregon.” As per the New York Times report, the former Labor Secretary also urged young women on her staff to ‘pay attention’ to her husband and father. Amid this, here’s all you need to know about Lori Chavez-Deremer’s family and her husband.
Lori Chavez-Deremer: Husband, father, children and family
- Lori Chavez-Deremer is married to Dr. Shawn DeRemer, an anesthologist. They have been childhood sweethearts and the two founded an anesthesia management company and several medical clinics across the Pacific Northwest, as per her profile.
- Chavez-Deremer and her husband Shawn are parents to twin daughters Annie and Emilie.
- Chavez-Deremer’s father is a longtime Teamsters member in Oregon. He was a notable participant in her political activities, before the Labor Department gig.
- Shawn, Chavez-Deremer’s husband, had been barred from the Labor Department, after at least two staffers accused him of sexual harassment.
- Her mother is in her 70s and the former Labor Secretary had celebrated her mother’s birthday in an Instagram post.
“My MOM! 75 never looked so good! Love this lady so much,” she had written.
Chavez-Deremer is taking a private sector position after resigning from her current post.
