Exclusive: Labor Secretary Lori Chavez Deremar has to set the tone of leadership at the agency, reaffirming notes to agency executive staff and agency heads, complying with President Donald Trump’s executive orders, and working with Government Efficiency (DOGE) to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, Fox News Digital has learned.
Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the memo Chavez-Deremer sent to senior staff at the Department of Labor on Wednesday. This is her first official day.
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“It’s an honor to join you as the 30th Secretary of Labor,” writes Chavez Deremar. “It’s a deep sense of responsibility for me to step into this role. I’m excited about the opportunity to work with each of you to implement President Trump’s agenda and carry out the important mission of the Labor Department.”
“I would like to use this opportunity to protect workers’ rights, ensure safe working conditions, ensure proper wages for all American workers, promote employee training, improve working conditions, ensure advance opportunities for employment growth, and work-related benefits, including pensions,” she continued. “To achieve this, we need to be strong in our commitment to putting American workers first.”
Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the first official day of work by memo Lori Chavez-Deremer, sent to senior staff at the Department of Labor on March 12, 2025. (Alison Robert/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Chavez-Deremer said the principles are “the core of everything we do and guide efforts to strengthen the lives of workers throughout our nation.”
“Under President Trump’s leadership, our focus is on promoting job creation, strengthening workforce development, ensuring safe working conditions, wages and pensions, so all Americans have an opportunity to succeed,” she continued. “We challenge you to be proactive with your team to identify innovative solutions that will help you achieve our goals.”
Chavez-Deremer said the Labor Bureau must “focus on practicing fiscal responsibility, reducing unnecessary spending, and optimizing resources to ensure that taxpayer dollars are effectively utilized,” according to the Trump administration’s priorities.
“At the president’s direction, the Labor Department has already saved US taxpayers $125 million, and this important job must continue to eradicate waste, fraud and abuse,” she wrote. “We recommend conducting budget and operational reviews and identifying cost-saving opportunities that can be redirected towards initiatives that will directly benefit American workers and businesses that will drive our economy.”
Lori Chavez Deremar greets ranking member Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) when he arrived at Capitol Hill for confirmation before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee in February. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Chavez-Deremer said these priorities are “central to our mission and essential to ensuring that we serve the American people by creating a level playing field for businesses, unions and American workers.”
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“By adhering to the principles of financial responsibility and efficiency, we can make meaningful differences in the lives of millions of Americans,” she wrote.
Fox News Digital has learned that the Department of Labor has cancelled its $125 million contracts, including $32 million diversity, equity, inclusion training and consulting, along with discriminatory DEIA obligations from more than 100 contracts. They also closed internal gender ideology programs. The Labor Bureau also cancelled $56 million in communications support redundancy, $4.4 million, for the “Policy Handbook Modernization.”
Chavez-Deremer has directed agents within the Department of Labor to review the budget and identify cost-cutting opportunities such as “wasteful contract spending” and “reduce redundancy and reduce employees’ low employee.”
Meanwhile, Chavez Deremar said he looks forward to meeting individual staff in the coming days to discuss “the priorities of your agency and how we can collectively advance the mission of our department.”
“Thank you for working on President Trump’s behalf and devoting ourselves to our mission to welcome a new golden age of economic prosperity,” she wrote. “We look forward to working together to make a positive impact on the lives of millions of workers and their families.”
She added: “Let’s get to work.”
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The Ministry of Labor has nearly 14,000 employees.
“The secretary is fired and ready to fight for American workers under the leadership of President Trump and his first American agenda, which starts with implementing the president’s executive order and partnering with DOGE to ensure that the Department of Labor protects the taxes of hardworking Americans.”
Chavez Deremar was the last person in Trump’s official cabinet to be confirmed. She was confirmed by the Senate on Monday night with a margin of 67-32 votes. Seventeen Democrats voted with Republicans to confirm her.
Chavez Deremar was sworn in the executive office building in Eisenhower on Tuesday by Florida Rep. Laurel Lee.
Brooksingman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and Fox Business.
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