Sonderling's Meteoric Rise

I met Keith Sonderling when he was a special assistant  at the US Department of Labor in the first term of the Trump Administration. He has had a wildly successful career and now at age 43 is the youngest ever Secretary of Labor ("SOL") nominee, having grasped the brass ring of leadership long ago. His journey from policy advisor, to the lowest office requiring Senate approval -- the Wage and Hour Administrator, to SOL and king of the hill, is a tall climb. 

In September 2017, Sonderling became a senior policy advisor at the Wage and Hour Division ("WHD") . Later he became its deputy administration and acting administrator. In July 2019 Sonderling was nominated to serve on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was confirmed by the Senate in September 2020 and served as the EEOC's vice chair until January 2021. Sonderling's EEOC term ended in August 2024.

In November 2024, he joined the second Trump term team to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Labor. That is the second in charge of the agency. He was a man on the rise. Sonderling was confirmed by the Senate in March 2025. It was said that he was de facto running the day to day affairs of DOL while Lori Chavez-DeRemer attended to her personal affairs. With her resignation, the path cleared for Sonderling to take the Department reigns more formally.

My own impression of Sonderling is that he is a quiet, careful, even tempered, and reasonable man. He is capable of changing his mind. At least, he treated my clients fairly. He has legal training and a judicial temperament. He seems well-liked, and has been confirmed several times before by the Senate. In an administration filled with less skilled and mature individuals, Sonderling, even in his youthful state, stands out as a likely better administrator and leader.  

Here is to wishing him the best.