Trump to reportedly nominate R. Alexander Acosta for labor secretary

Labor Secretary nominee R. Alexander Acosta. — (Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump has reportedly chosen R. Alexander Acosta as his second nominee for labor secretary after fast-food executive Andrew Puzder withdrew Wednesday, as it became clear he would not earn enough support in the Senate to be confirmed.

Acosta is the first Hispanic nominee to Trump's Cabinet. He previously served as the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division under former President George W. Bush. In 2011, Acosta testified before Congress to defend the rights of Muslim Americans, where he argued that "we are a nation built on principles of freedom, and high on the list of freedoms is freedom of religious expression."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.