Rand Paul Says He’ll Reject Trump’s Labor Dept. Nominee
Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky and a known ally of Donald Trump, has announced that he will not support the president's nominee for the Labor Department.
Speaking to Fox News Radio’s Ryan Schmelz and NBC News’ Sahil Kapur, Paul stated that he plans to vote “no” on Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation, citing her “very pro-labor” stance as his primary reason.
“I think she’ll lose 15 Republicans and she’ll get 25 Democrats,” Paul remarked to Schmelz. “I mean, she’s very pro-labor. She might get all the Democrats. Who knows.”
Chavez-DeRemer was nominated by Trump in November to serve as Secretary of Labor, with the president highlighting her dedication to American workers.
“Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success,” Trump said at the time. “Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!”
However, pro-business and anti-union groups quickly expressed concerns over the nomination. The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, for instance, said it was “alarmed” by Trump’s decision.
The Wall Street Journal criticized the move, accusing the president of prioritizing “unions over workers.” Similarly, Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich called on Senate Republicans to “vote this nomination down,” adding: “A co-sponsor of the Pro-Act as Labor Secretary? Absolutely not.”
On the other hand, Democrats and the Teamsters union embraced the selection of Chavez-DeRemer.
“Lori Chavez-DeRemer has been a champion for the American worker and will be the same as Labor Secretary,” the Teamsters declared in a statement. “During her time in Congress, Chavez-DeRemer defended UPS workers’ right to strike and fought to protect the right to organize, raise working standards, and keep jobs from being shipped overseas.”
Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has previously praised Trump at the Republican National Convention, describing him as “one tough son of a b**ch” following an assassination attempt on the former president in July.
Notably, the Teamsters, who have historically supported Democratic presidential candidates, withheld their endorsement in the 2020 election. Instead, after a majority of their members backed Trump, the union opted not to support either candidate — a decision they hadn’t made since 1996, according to The Hill.
“The Teamsters thank all candidates for meeting with members face-to-face during our unprecedented roundtables,” O’Brien said in a statement.
He added, “Unfortunately, neither major candidate was able to make serious commitments to our union to ensure the interests of working people are always put before Big Business. We sought commitments from both Trump and Harris not to interfere in critical union campaigns or core Teamsters industries — and to honor our members’ right to strike — but were unable to secure those pledges.”
In January 2024, the union’s political action committee contributed $45,000 to the Republican National Committee’s convention fund, just days before Trump visited the Teamsters’ headquarters.
Earlier that month, Trump had met with O’Brien, as noted in a post by the union on X.
The Teamsters, who endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, have largely refrained from significant contributions to the Republican Party since donating $15,000 to the RNC in 2004.
The Washington Post, which initially reported the $45,000 donation, emphasized the tension this creates for unions. While Biden’s policies have favored unionization efforts and subsidized union jobs, Trump remains highly popular among rank-and-file union members, especially in key battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Last year, the United Auto Workers union officially endorsed Biden. However, UAW President Shawn Fain acknowledged that “a great majority” of union members were likely to vote for Trump on Election Day.