INTERVIEW: Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling reflects on how the Republican Jewish Coalition “started” his political career

LAS VEGAS —

For years, now-Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling has been attending Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) events. This year, he addressed the RJC from the main stage, and after his remarks he spoke with the Washington Reporter about what that meant to him.

“The Jewish conservative movement continues to grow, and for me, before I was in government, I played a big role in this organization in making sure that people understood the issues facing Jewish Americans, and I continue to give a lot of credit to the RJC for continuing to grow their organization and to continue to make sure that Jewish voters know that there is a Republican conservative outlet for them, and this organization continues to do a great job,” Sonderling told the Reporter in his latest interview.

From the main stage, Sonderling noted that his “political career started with the RJC” back in 2008, and he called it “surreal” for him to be able to address the audience from the main stage. 

In his interview with the Reporter, Sonderling echoed his point that he told the audience about the importance that the Trump administration places on Jewish Americans and in combatting anti-Semitism. “You have two cabinet members here, the Vice President, and the who’s who of Congress and the Senate,” he said. “Hats off to RJC for continuing to put on a great conference and continuing to work with this administration and making sure that a lot of the issues that this that this base here in the conservative Jewish movement cares about continue to be implemented in D.C.”

Sonderling, a Jewish member of Trump’s cabinet, gets to see firsthand what the administration is doing to combat anti-Semitism, including in the workforce, which is Sonderling’s direct purview. Trump, he said, is “fiercely defending the rights of Jewish Americans, and for me, that hits home.”

“Only in America,” Sonderling said, “and only with a president like President Trump can my family go from the concentration camps to the president’s cabinet.”

But, Sonderling’s remarks weren’t without an update on the economy. “Thanks to President Trump, more Americans are working today than at any point in our nation’s history. We’ve added 900,000 private sector jobs, unemployment remains historically low, and this summer, new claims for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest levels since 1969.”