Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is out of Trump’s Cabinet, the White House said Monday, after multiple allegations of abusing her position’s power, including having an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job.
As per AP News, Chavez-DeRemer is the third Trump Cabinet member to leave her post after Trump fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March and ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month.
“I am proud that we made significant progress in advancing President Trump’s mission to bridge the gap between business and labor and always put the American worker first,” Chavez-DeRemer wrote in a statement posted on social media, “Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said on X. “She has done a phenomenal job in her role by protecting American workers, enacting fair labor practices, and helping Americans gain additional skills to improve their lives.”
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The allegations center on three main issues. First, she is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate, a potentially serious violation of federal ethics rules due to the power imbalance involved. Second, there are claims she consumed alcohol while performing official duties, which could breach workplace conduct standards expected of senior government officials. Third, she is alleged to have misused government staff or resources for personal purposes, raising concerns about abuse of authority.
The case reportedly began with internal complaints within the Department of Labor, prompting a review by the inspector general. As the investigation gained momentum, pressure mounted on the administration, leading to her resignation before any final findings were released.
A New York Times report from April 15 revealed that the Labor Department’s inspector general was reviewing material showing Chavez-DeRemer and her top aides and family members routinely sent personal messages and requests to young staff members.
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As per the news outlet, Chavez-DeRemer’s husband and father exchanged text messages with young female staff members. Some of the staffers were instructed by the secretary and her former deputy chief of staff to “pay attention” to her family, people familiar with the investigation told the Times.
Late Monday, on her personal X account, Chavez-DeRemer posted, “The allegations against me, my family, and my team have been peddled by high-ranked deep state actors who have been coordinating with the one-sided news media and continue to undermine President Trump’s mission.”
For Donald Trump’s administration, the episode adds to a broader pattern of turnover that can complicate governance and public messaging. It also underscores the growing role of internal oversight mechanisms and media scrutiny in holding high-ranking officials accountable.