U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer will leave the Trump administration, a White House official said Monday.
DeRemer’s exit follows two high-profile depatures in Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Chavez-DeRemer has been embroiled in controversy after allegations of having an affair with a subordinate surfaced over the past several months.
“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,” said Steven Cheung, director of communications at the White House.
Chavez-DeRemer faced accusations of an affair with a subordinate. Her husband also came under investigation by the department amid sexual assault allegations and was barred from the Labor Department building.
Chavez-DeRemer has been under investigation by the Department of Labor’s inspector general due to various accusations. Several top members of DeRemer’s staff have left their posts since the investigation began.
Keith Sonderling, current deputy secretary of the Department of Labor, will take over as the interim head of the agency. During his confirmation hearing last year, Sonderling expressed support for implementing artificial intelligence into processes throughout the federal workforce.
“We are not going to be able to succeed as a global leader in AI without making sure that the products are developed, designed, and deployed in accordance with the laws that Congress have passed,” Sonderling said.
Cheung said Chavez-DeRemer would take on a position in the private sector. He did not specify when her tenure would end.