Overview

Background

Keith E. Sonderling was born on November 25, 1982, in New York City. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University. Before his government service, Sonderling was a partner at Gunster, one of Florida's oldest and largest law firms, where he began his career as a management-side labor and employment attorney. After spending nearly ten years in the private sector, he joined the Department of Labor in the first Trump administration.

He held leadership roles in the DOL's Wage and Hour Division from 2017 to 2020, serving as acting administrator and deputy administrator and helping achieve record enforcement recoveries. During that period he oversaw the development and publication of large-scale deregulatory rules and was instrumental in developing the Division's first comprehensive self-audit program, which collected more than $7 million for nearly eleven thousand workers.

Before joining the Department of Labor's leadership in the second Trump term, Sonderling served as a commissioner at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from September 2020 to August 2024, during which time he served as vice chair from 2020 to 2021 and became known for his expertise on artificial intelligence's impact on the workplace. One of Sonderling's highest priorities at the EEOC was ensuring that artificial intelligence and workplace technologies are designed and deployed consistent with long-standing laws. He published numerous articles on the benefits and potential harms of AI-based technology in the workplace and spoke globally on the subject. He also taught about the laws the department enforces as an adjunct professor at George Washington University.

Public Role in the Second Trump Administration

Deputy Secretary and Operational Leader

In November 2024, Trump named Sonderling as his nominee to serve as deputy secretary of labor, and he was confirmed by the Senate in March 2025. He was confirmed by a vote of 53 to 46, where he oversaw departmental operations including strategic planning, budgeting, and human resources. As deputy secretary, Sonderling served as the Department's chief operating officer, overseeing the agency's $14 billion budget and 16,000 employees.

In his tenure as deputy secretary, Sonderling largely managed the operations of the Department of Labor, particularly amid Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer's frequent absences. With his close relationships to the business community and his preference for a deregulatory framework, Sonderling was seen as complementing Chavez-DeRemer's labor-friendly disposition to help achieve the policy objectives of the second Trump administration. Beyond the Labor Department itself, Sonderling also briefly took on added responsibilities: he served as acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services from March to November 2025, and as acting under secretary of commerce for minority business development during the same period.

Acting Secretary and Policy Direction

In April 2026, Sonderling became acting secretary of labor after Chavez-DeRemer resigned over several inquiries into her conduct. Reports indicated that Chavez-DeRemer had been accused of requesting staff perform private errands for her and her husband. Sonderling stepped into the role without interruption, having already been running much of the department's day-to-day operations.

As acting secretary, Sonderling has expressed the department's commitment to delivering on President Trump's deregulatory agenda by removing unnecessary, burdensome regulations that hamstring businesses and by providing accessible compliance tools. He has also emphasized efforts to combat unemployment insurance fraud and streamline department operations. On the regulatory rollback front, Senate Democrats have critiqued Sonderling for the DOL's rescinding in May of an overtime rule adopted under President Biden in 2024, and for the department's attempt to rescind a separate 2024 Biden-era rule addressing the classification of independent contractors.

Artificial Intelligence and Workforce Policy

Sonderling has positioned AI workforce readiness as a signature issue. The DOL under Sonderling's leadership has outlined plans to advance the Trump administration's AI Action Plan with a focus on workforce readiness, including expanding AI-related skills development, assessing AI's impact on the labor market, and testing new approaches for rapid worker retraining. He has championed an AI Workplace Hub to provide centralized access to upskilling strategies, labor market data on AI's impact by industry, and training programs to close workforce skills gaps.

At his confirmation hearing, Sonderling described the DOL working closely with the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education to develop an AI curriculum that trains children from an early age, while also talking to employers who have adopted AI and asking the Bureau of Labor Statistics to examine data on how AI is affecting the workforce.

Recent Developments

Sonderling's Senate confirmation hearing before the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee took place on July 16, 2026, though he had already been on the job as acting secretary since April. At the hearing, Sonderling emphasized a steady grounding in labor law built on years of experience in private practice, academia, and the federal government.

Sonderling was expected to be confirmed, but Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, made clear she was no fan of his work. Murray critiqued Sonderling for his association with Trump, for the DOL's rescinding of a Biden overtime rule, and for the department's ongoing effort to rescind a Biden-era independent contractor classification rule. Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, introduced Sonderling at the hearing and said that as a public servant Sonderling is clearly qualified.

Outlook

Sonderling enters what would be his first confirmed cabinet post with more operational depth than most nominees of his rank. He has served in some capacity at the Labor Department through both Trump terms, has run the agency's day-to-day operations as deputy secretary and then as acting secretary, and carries a clearly defined policy agenda centered on deregulation and AI-era workforce development. Supporters say his experience and familiarity with the department make him well suited for the permanent role.

The political environment is mixed but not especially hostile for his confirmation. Democratic opposition is vocal on the deregulatory rollbacks and on broader concerns about labor protections under the Trump administration, but the Republican-controlled Senate majority is expected to carry his nomination through. If confirmed, Sonderling would face the ongoing challenge of balancing the administration's business-friendly posture with the department's statutory mandate to protect workers — a tension that has defined his tenure at the department since the beginning of Trump's second term.