Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling

Keith E. Sonderling was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 2025, to be the 38th United States deputy secretary of labor, and on April 20, 2026, was designated by President Donald J. Trump as the acting secretary of labor.

As acting secretary, Sonderling is the highest-ranking official advising the president and enforcing federal laws that protect workers’ wages, safety, health, and benefits. As deputy secretary he also serves as 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.