CHAVEZ-DEREMER’S EXIT: Another woman in Trump’s Cabinet is out, with Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer leaving her role amid allegations of personal misconduct and abuse of office by top aides.
Chavez-DeRemer is the third member of Trump's Cabinet to leave the administration in just more than a month, following the ousters of former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi. Although the first year of Trump's time back in office was marked by remarkable stability within his administration, the Labor Department turnover adds to the mounting tumult in year two.
“Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a post on X. “She has done a phenomenal job in her role by protecting American workers, enacting fair labor practices, and helping Americans gain additional skills to improve their lives.”
Cheung said Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling will serve as acting secretary.
Chavez-DeRemer's departure came as several controversies were surrounding her, her office and her family members. A whistleblower named Chavez-DeRemer's chief of staff and her deputy in a complaint, alleging they helped coordinate professional travel for the secretary to coincide with personal trips.
The complaint also accused Chavez-DeRemer of drinking while on the job and having an “inappropriate” relationship with a member of her security team, and it alleged senior staffers were aware of her behavior.
The chief of staff and deputy resigned last month after the White House reportedly directed the Labor Department to fire them if they didn’t step down.
Chavez-DeRemer defended herself in a statement posted on her X account Monday evening, saying the allegations against her, her family and her team "have been peddled by high-ranking deep state actors who have been coordinating with the one-sided news media and continue to undermine" Trump's agenda. She said she will continue to fight "from the outside."
Two department staff members also reportedly accused Chavez-DeRemer's husband of sexually assaulting them, resulting in him being banned from department headquarters. His attorney has denied the allegations.
▪ The 19th: In two months, Trump’s Cabinet has lost three women.
EXTENSION ‘UNLIKELY’: The president said he’s “highly unlikely” to agree to extend the ceasefire with Iran ahead of a possible second round of talks with Tehran.
The president told Bloomberg in an interview Monday that the two-week ceasefire, which was announced April 7, would expire on Wednesday evening EDT, potentially giving a little more time for talks. He said he isn’t inclined to extend it further if no deal is reached.
“I’m not going to be rushed into making a bad deal. We’ve got all the time in the world,” he said.
The status of another meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, seems uncertain as Iran pushes back on Trump’s threats against the country.
“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has led Tehran in the talks, said in a post on X.
Trump reiterated in a Truth Social post on Sunday his threat to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges if Tehran doesn’t agree to a deal to end the war.
Vice President Vance is set to lead the delegation, which will also include special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
While Iran has not publicly committed to joining the negotiations, two senior Iranian officials told The New York Times that an Iranian delegation was making travel plans, and Qalibaf would attend if Vance does.
▪ The Hill: Iran seeks to wait Trump out.
▪ The Associated Press: Trump offers mixed messages about path ahead.
WARSH ON THE HILL: The president’s nominee to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve will appear on Capitol Hill today for a confirmation hearing, but his path forward is uncertain due to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
The Senate Banking Committee is holding its hearing for former Fed board of governors member Kevin Warsh as Powell’s term is set to come to an end next month. Warsh is expected to have overwhelming support from Republicans, but The Hill’s Sylvan Lane reports Trump’s efforts to oust Powell could undermine his ability to appoint the next chair.
The ongoing DOJ criminal probe into Powell and his oversight of renovations to the Fed’s headquarters has spurred criticism from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who is retiring, has vowed to block any nominee to the Fed until the investigation concludes.
As a member of the banking committee, Tillis can prevent Warsh from being approved by the panel and having his nomination sent to the Senate floor for a full vote of the chamber. That could leave the nomination in limbo and Powell still in charge.
Although Powell’s term ends in a few weeks, he has said he would stay on in an acting role if no successor is confirmed by then, as permitted by law. Trump has said he will move to fire Powell if he stays on after the end of the term, but that would likely launch another legal battle over the Fed’s independence.
▪ Reuters: Fed governor says rate cut still possible this year.
▪ Axios: What we would ask Warsh.
TARIFF REFUNDS: Businesses that paid tariffs under the Trump administration’s policies are now able to apply for refunds in the aftermath of the Supreme Court striking most of them down.
A refund system for businesses officially launched Monday, providing a pathway for them to claim reimbursements for the $166 billion paid on duties before the court’s ruling in February.
Customs and Border Protection will manage the online platform and provide electronic refunds in most cases when applicable, according to court filings. Processing refunds could take 60 to 90 days.
While companies aren’t legally obligated to provide refunds to customers, some have said they will.
▪ NBC4: Who is eligible for refunds?
REST IN PEACE: Virginia Sen. Mark Warner (D) is mourning the death of his daughter, who died at 36 years old after suffering from juvenile diabetes.
“We are heartbroken beyond words by the passing of our beloved daughter, Madison, 36, after a decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues. She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” Warner and his wife, Lisa Collis, said in a statement posted on X.
Madison is survived by her parents and two younger sisters.
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