Sonderling expressed his gratitude on Twitter early Wednesday: “Thank you @realDonaldTrump for nominating me as deputy secretary of labor, @USDOL. I am thrilled for the opportunity to work with @LChavezDeRemer, on your vision to create opportunities for workers and help restore the American dream for working families.”
The deputy labor secretary position, which requires Senate confirmation, is crucial to DOL operations and has frequently involved acting as the department’s leader during transitions. For example, Deputy Labor Secretary Patrick Pizzella served as acting secretary during the previous Trump administration, and Julie Su, confirmed as deputy under President Joe Biden, has acted as labor secretary for nearly two years.
Trump had previously announced in November his intent to nominate former Republican Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon for labor secretary. Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination surprised some political and legal observers due to her past support for pro-union legislation backed by Democrats.
