Trump’s Labor Secretary Pick Faces GOP Rebellion as Rand Paul Leads Charge Against Confirmation

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Alexis N. Crockett
February 10, 2025
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7 minutes read

Michael Steele is seen at the Pasadena Convention Center, California. Steele said on Saturday morning that he is “fed up” with Republicans’ claims about the 2020 election being stolen from Donald Trump. Michael Schwartz/Getty Images

Former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) is set for a tough confirmation battle this week as opposition within her own party threatens to derail her nomination as Donald Trump’s next labor secretary. Despite being a Republican nominee for a Republican administration, Chavez-DeRemer is facing strong resistance from GOP senators, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) predicting that at least 15 Republican senators will refuse to confirm her.

The pushback has led to confusion and frustration among political analysts, including MSNBC’s Michael Steele, who called out the apparent hypocrisy of the situation. Paul, a staunch opponent of labor unions, has cited Chavez-DeRemer’s past support for the PRO Act—legislation that strengthens union rights—as a key reason for his opposition.

“I’m the national spokesman and lead author of the right-to-work bill,” Paul told reporters. “Her support for the PRO Act, which would not only oppose the national right to work but would preempt state law on right to work—I think it’s not a good thing.” On MSNBC’s The Weekend, Steele reacted to co-host Alicia Menendez’s report that some Republican senators and business lobbyists are “unhappy and mystified” by the nomination.

“Now hold up. I’m a little bit confused this early on a Sunday morning,” Steele said with mock indignation. “So you mean to tell me these Republicans are prepared to level up absolute incompetence like Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel, and they’re concerned about the labor secretary that’s been nominated by Donald Trump?”

With GOP senators opposing Chavez-DeRemer over her ties to unions, Steele highlighted the party’s recent messaging about supporting American workers. “She was nominated by Trump, right?” Steele joked. “So they’re going to lose 15 Republicans due to her union-aligned views. But wait a minute, Republicans. I thought we were now pro-workers.

I thought we were for the working man and woman—you know, they’re part of unions. But, you know, we know what the game is here.” Steele continued his critique, arguing that Chavez-DeRemer represents the kind of bridge-building Republicans claim to support.

“So the lady who’s competent and can actually do the kind of bridge-building that Republicans always brag they are doing into the labor market, into working families—y’all don’t want her because of her so-called union-aligned views,” he said. “I don’t even know what the hell that means since she was nominated by Donald Trump.”

With mounting opposition from within her own party, Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation remains uncertain, highlighting deep divisions within the GOP over labor policy and Trump’s Cabinet choices.