President Trump has nominated Keith Sonderling to serve as Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL). Sonderling is currently serving as DOL’s acting secretary, following the resignation last April of then-Secretary Lori Chavez DeRemer.

Industry insiders say the Sonderling nomination signals a focus on steady management and continued business-friendly labor policies, as Sonderling has been running day-to-day operations at the DOL since his confirmation as Deputy Secretary in March 2025.

During the first Trump administration, Sonderling served as Deputy and Acting Administrator for the DOL's Wage and Hour Division. He also previously served as a Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Prospects: Sonderling is likely to win confirmation by the full Senate. He has already been confirmed as Deputy Secretary of Labor on a 53 to 47 party-line vote in March of 2025. As DOL Secretary, he will be instrumental in the DOL’s action on retirement savings regulations, worker classification, noncompete agreement rules, and other key regulatory rules.

NAIFA Staff Contacts: Diane Boyle – Senior Vice President – Government Relations, at dboyle@naifa.org; Mike Hedge – Senior Director – Government Relations, at mhedge@naifa.org; or Jayne Fitzgerald – Director – Government Relations, at jfitzgerald@naifa.org