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President Donald Trump on Monday nominated acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to serve as the permanent head of the Department of Labor, praising his record in the administration and expressing confidence in his leadership.
Sonderling has served as acting labor secretary since April, when former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer stepped down to take a position in the private sector. Before assuming the acting role, he served as deputy labor secretary.
In a Truth Social post announcing the nomination, Trump highlighted Sonderling’s previous service in both his first and second administrations, including his work at the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division.
” It is my Great Honor to announce that I am nominating Keith E. Sonderling, the outstanding Acting United States Secretary of Labor, to be permanent. Keith previously served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer and, during my First Term, worked at the U.S. Department of Labor as the Acting and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division,” the president wrote.
“Throughout his career, Keith has proven his dedication to delivering strong results for the Hardworking People of our Country, and I know he will do an incredible job in his new role. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
The nomination comes just days after Sonderling was named acting director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, the independent agency responsible for helping ensure executive branch officials comply with federal ethics rules and avoid conflicts of interest.
If confirmed by the Senate, Sonderling would officially lead the Labor Department after serving in the acting role for several months.
President Trump also announced two additional nominations on Monday. He nominated Justice Gregory Cook to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
The president also announced the nomination of Anna St. John to serve as a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She is “currently a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and was previously President and General Counsel of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute and Center for Class Action Fairness, where she championed Religious Liberty, Free Speech, and protecting Women’s Sports. Anna is a proud Graduate of LSU and Columbia Law School, and clerked for Judge Rhesa Barksdale. Anna will continue to defend Americans’ Constitutional Rights on the Fifth Circuit,” the president wrote.