The Affair Rumors Trump Cabinet Member Lori Chavez-DeRemer Can't Escape

What's that? A MAGA marriage facing cheating rumors? As unheard-of as it may sound for politicians to be caught cheating, President Donald Trump's secretary of labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has been accused of having a fling with someone other than her husband — and making matters worse, her alleged side piece also happens to be an employee. Cue an investigation in three, two, one. 

Rumors of Chavez-DeRemer's indiscretion first began doing the rounds in January 2026, when the New York Post published claims that she was facing an internal investigation after a whistleblower in the department shared a number of allegations with its inspector general. Among the accusations leveled at the former Oregon congresswoman included that she had met with her alleged fling at her residence in Washington, D.C. in September 2025 twice — both times after her security team had been dismissed. That's not all, though. The whistleblower also claimed the secretary and her lover had been caught cheating in Las Vegas, and that their conduct didn't exactly scream "Uber-proper boss and employee."

Two weeks after the Post ran its story, The New York Times reported that Chavez-DeRemer's alleged lover was a member of her security team. The outlet also said that the unnamed man had been put on leave while the matter was being investigated. The Labor Dpartment's spokesperson made it clear they couldn't comment on the investigation itself, which was reiterated by the secretary's personal lawyer, who told Bloomberg that her silence shouldn't be taken as a sign that she had done anything wrong. As for the security guard, he didn't speak out — though he had told New York Post early on, "I got lawyers, so I'm not gonna talk to you. I have nothing to say." Talk about drama. 

Like we said, Chavez-DeRemer's security guard/rumored affair partner was put on leave while the Department of Labor investigated — but he's not alone. Her chief of staff, Jihun Han, and deputy chief of staff, Rebecca Wright, were also put on leave in January 2026, and in early March, both resigned. "Resigned" being a nice way to say they were told to leave their posts ASAP. 

As the New York Post reported after the resignations, Han and Wright were accused of turning the department into a toxic workplace. They were also investigated for having allegedly found ways for Chavez-DeRemer to travel to places where she wanted to vacation or her loved ones lived, under the guise of being work trips. The Post also reported that they were accused of finding ways to keep the secretary's alleged affair quiet, and that Han told employees to "leave it alone." In the outlet's previous report, that line had been ascribed to Chavez-DeRemer, who was alleged to have said it to Han. It's not clear if Han parroted his (now-former) boss' words to his own subordinates.

Fake work travel and the rumored affair aren't the only scandals surrounding the Department of Labor under Chavez-DeRemer. Other not-so-savory details include allegations that the secretary drinks alcohol in-office during work hours and that she'd gone to a strip club with employees during a work trip. FWIW, Chavez-DeRemer's husband has said he doesn't believe any of the accusations (so maybe thet're not among the MAGA couples most likely to split in 2026). Shawn DeRemer has had some scandals of his own, though, and was even banned from the department after staffers accused him of sexual assault. He wasn't charged, but we're not sure there are enough "Yikes" to go around.