Secretary of Labor: Keith Sonderling

Keith Sonderling is President Trump’s nominee to serve as the next Secretary of Labor. He currently serves as Acting Secretary of Labor, a role he was designated to on April 20, 2026, following the departure of former Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Prior to that, Sonderling served as the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor, confirmed by the Senate on March 12, 2025 by a vote of 53–46, where he oversaw departmental operations including strategic planning, budgeting, and human resources.

Before joining the Department of Labor’s leadership, Sonderling was a Commissioner at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (September 2020–August 2024), where he served as Vice Chair from 2020–2021 and became known for his expertise on artificial intelligence’s impact on the workplace. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles in DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (2017–2020), serving as Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator and helping achieve record enforcement recoveries.

Before entering government, he was a labor and employment law partner at Gunster in Florida and an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School. He is a recognized subject matter expert on AI and employment practices, independent contractor rights, and the impact of workplace technology.

Nomination Status: Sonderling was nominated for Labor Secretary on June 29, 2026. The Senate HELP Committee has scheduled a nomination hearing for July 16, 2026.