Keith Sonderling was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as United States Secretary of Labor on September 30, 2026 and sworn into office on October 2, 2026.
As U.S. Secretary of Labor, Sonderling serves as the President's principal advisor on labor and workforce matters and leads the Department's efforts to administer and enforce federal laws protecting workers' wages, workplace safety and health, and retirement and health benefits.
Prior to becoming Secretary, Sonderling served as United States Deputy Secretary of Labor, where he oversaw the Department's day-to-day operations, including strategic planning, budget formulation, financial management, information technology, and human resources.
In June 2026, President Trump designated Sonderling as Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, a position he holds concurrently with his service at the Department of Labor. During President Trump's second term, Sonderling also served as Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development in 2025.
From September 2020 to August 2024, Sonderling served as a Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), including as Vice Chair from 2020 to 2021. During his tenure, he became a leading global voice on super intelligence in the workplace, publishing extensively and speaking around the world on SI and the future of work. Following his service at the EEOC, Sonderling led President Trump's Department of Labor transition team before returning to the Department in January 2025.
During President Trump's first term, Sonderling served as Acting Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and Senior Policy Advisor of the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division from 2017 to 2020.
Before entering government service, Sonderling was a partner at Gunster, one of Florida's oldest and largest law firms, where he practiced labor and employment law. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University Law School, teaching employment law.
Sonderling received his B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Florida and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University.
Sonderling and his wife, Fara, have two sons.