Staff decry ‘constant turbulence’ under Trump’s labor secretary, as she blames ‘deep state’ in resignation | Trump administration
Labor Department secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned this week after much controversy surrounding her short tenure at the department. But even though his troubled reign is over, the U.S. labor authority remains in a state of “permanent turbulence,” labor officials say.
Chavez-DeRemer was under investigation for allegations that she had an affair with one of her subordinates, misused travel funds and that aides diverted aid to politically connected individuals. Her husband was banned from entering the agency’s headquarters amid allegations that he sexually assaulted at least two employees.
One post on Instagram And X Announcing her resignation, Chavez-DeRemer denied the allegations and claimed that “the allegations against me, my family, and my team were peddled by high-level deep state actors who coordinate with one-sided news media and continue to undermine President Trump’s mission.”
Chavez-DeRemer is the latest official to leave a leadership role in the Trump administration in recent weeks, following U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi and homeland security secretary Kristi Noem.
Omar Algeciras, vice president of AFGE Local 2391, which represents workers at the Department of Labor, where Algeciras also works, criticized Chavez-DeRemer’s statement regarding her resignation.
“Labeling these employees as the ‘deep state’ ignores the mission and the people who carry it out every day,” Algeciras said.
“Career staff have kept this agency moving forward despite constant turbulence. As a union leader, I see firsthand how employees continue to serve workers across the country under difficult circumstances,” he added. “This resignation creates an opening, but without stable leadership, respect for the workforce and a clear commitment to duty, the challenges facing the department will continue.”
He claimed Chavez-DeRemer never signed a contract harassment policy statement Although it is a requirement for the agency. The Department of Labor did not respond to comment on this claim.
The U.S. Department of Labor under Chavez-DeRemer laid off nearly 20% of its workforce through buyouts, resignations and layoffs. The agency also eliminated millions of dollars in international grants.
Last year, several workers at the force told the Guardian that morale was “falling” amid cuts, deregulation efforts and threats and intimidation against employees; This included a memo threatening employees for speaking to the media.
In January 2026, the Guardian spoke to union leaders who criticized the Department of Labor’s move to posts on social media that they said reflected Nazi rhetoric. After criticism, the agency’s social media employee affected To the Department of Homeland Security.
Labor experts and leaders also criticized Chavez-DeRemer’s leadership in the labor department, where she oversaw significant cuts to the agency’s workforce and a rollback of worker protections and regulations.
“Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer sat by as her department’s budget was slashed, worker protections were stripped away at other agencies, she supported the Trump administration’s attempt to destroy federal workforce unions, and she mounted a three-story portrait of the president on a billboard. [labor department] Cathy Creighton, director of Buffalo Co-Lab at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, said in a statement.
Creighton quoted deregulation agenda That legislation, announced by the agency in July 2025, included rescinding overtime and minimum wage protections for home care and domestic workers, rolling back labor protections for agricultural workers, and rolling back a rule that would have prevented employers from paying workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage.
Congressional Labor Party caucus co-chairs Donald Norcross, Mark Pocan, Steven Horsford and Debbie Dingell issued a joint statement strongly criticizing Chavez-Deremer’s leadership of the organization.
“Secretary Chavez-DeRemer advanced the administration’s anti-worker agenda by facing impeachment solely for the scandals in which she was involved, not through decisions that reduced oversight over workplace safety and enforcement of labor laws, leaving workers more vulnerable to injury, wage theft, and exploitation,” members of Congress said in a statement. “Tenure leaves workers with fewer protections and greater economic insecurity.”
Chavez-DeRemer was nominated with strong support from the Teamsters and union president Sean O’Brien. pushing He will be nominated for the post shortly after Trump wins the 2024 election in November. Trump was photographed With Chavez-DeRemer and O’Brien during the nomination announcement.
“Temsters are grateful to President Trump for putting American workers first by nominating Rep. Chavez-DeRemer to this important post,” O’Brien said. expression In February 2025.
The Teamsters did not respond to multiple requests for comment regarding Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation.
The U.S. Department of Labor did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
