Keith E. Sonderling is the United States secretary of labor. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on September 30, 2026, by a vote of 47 to 41. He had led the Department of Labor as acting secretary since April 20, 2026, when Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned, and before that served as the 38th deputy secretary of labor after the Senate confirmed him to that post on March 12, 2025.
As secretary, Sonderling is the highest-ranking official advising the president on labor policy and enforcing federal laws that protect workers’ wages, safety, health, and benefits. As deputy secretary he was the department’s chief operating officer, overseeing the agency’s budget, workforce, strategic planning, financial management, information technology, and human resource management.
During President Trump’s second term, Sonderling also served concurrently as acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and acting under secretary of commerce for minority business development. Before becoming deputy secretary, he was Senate-confirmed to serve as a commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 2020 to 2024 and also served as the commission’s vice chair.
Sonderling previously served at the Department of Labor as acting and deputy administrator of the Wage and Hour Division from 2017 to 2020. Before entering government, he was a partner at Gunster and taught employment law at George Washington University Law School. He earned his B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Florida and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University.