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News
www.asianhospitality.com
February 2025 | Issue 233
hree of President Donald Trump’s
cabinet nominees drew support
from hotel industry associations
as the Senate held their confirmation
hearings in January. One, Kashyap
“Kash” Patel, is set to become the first
Indo American FBI director.
Trump also nominated former
Oregon Republican Congresswoman
Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the
Department of Labor, with former Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission
member Keith Sonderling chosen
as deputy secretary. All three were
expected to win approval from the
Republican led Senate.
Staking a place in history
Kash Patel highlighted his Indian roots
at his confirmation hearing, greeting
his parents with “Jai Shree Krishna.”
If confirmed, he would be the first
Indian American to lead the nation’s top
investigative agency.
AAHOA backed Patel’s nomination,
citing his public service and national
security experience as crucial for
addressing challenges facing both the
FBI and the hospitality industry.
“Kash Patel's nomination is a
significant moment," said Miraj Patel,
AAHOA chairman. "His counterterrorism
and public service background offers
valuable expertise for tackling complex
security issues."
AAHOA combats human trafÏcking
through education, certification and
partnerships with organizations.
The association views Patel’s
counterterrorism expertise as a valuable
asset to this mission.
Kash Patel, a former House
Intelligence aide and federal prosecutor
during Trump’s first term, was
nominated in November to replace
Christopher Wray, who led the FBI for
over seven years.
“If confirmed, I will streamline
headquarters operations while
strengthening the presence of field
agents nationwide,” Kash Patel
wrote when outlining his priorities.
“Collaboration with local law
enforcement is crucial to the FBI’s
mission.”
Patel’s hearing was not without
controversy. He has publicly suggested
prosecuting journalists if confirmed as
FBI director and turning the bureau’s
headquarters into a “museum of the
deep state.”
In a news release, the U.S. Senate
Committee on the Judiciary called Patel a
“radical extremist.” The committee cited
a list he published of 60 “members of the
deep state” that included Democrats and
Republicans, including Bill Barr, former
U.S. attorney general during Trump’s
first administration who opposed
Trump’s claims that the 2020 election
was rigged.
“Kash Patel is an extreme MAGA
loyalist who would make our country less
safe. He is blindly loyal to Donald Trump
and Donald Trump only,” said Senate
Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, ranking
member of the committee.
However, Democrats faced an uphill
battle blocking Patel’s confirmation.
By the hearing's end, his nomination
seemed set for a full Senate vote, where
Republicans hold a 53 to 47 majority.
AHLA backs
DOL nominees
The American Hotel & Lodging
Association has called on the Senate to
swiftly confirm both nominees.
AHLA President and CEO Rosanna
Maietta expressed pride in endorsing
Chavez-DeRemer for secretary of labor
and Sonderling for deputy secretary.
“As a small business owner, Chavez-
DeRemer understands the challenges
businesses face and the need for a strong
workforce,” Maietta said. “In Congress,
she supported key AHLA priorities,
including defending the franchise model,
defining joint-employer liability, and
advancing apprenticeship programs.”
Sonderling, who previously served
at the EEOC, was acting administrator
and later deputy administrator of the
DOL’s Wage and Hour Division from
2019 through Trump’s first term. He left
the EEOC in July 2024 when his term
expired, creating another Republican
vacancy for Trump to fill.
“Sonderling brings extensive
experience to the deputy secretary
role, having served under the first
Trump administration as acting and
deputy administrator of the Wage and
Hour Division and as a commissioner
of the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission,” Maietta said. “He has
been a strong advocate for the franchise
model and understands the impact of
the department’s policies on businesses
nationwide.”
Maietta noted that hoteliers
face challenges, including onerous
regulations threatening the livelihoods
of owners, operators, and employees, as
well as a nationwide workforce shortage
hindering expansion.
Trump appointees backed
by associations
‘Kash’ Patel set to become first Indo American FBI director despite controversy
President Donald Trump cabinet nominees are, from left, former Oregon Congresswoman Lori Chavez-
DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor, former EEOC Commissioner Keith Sonderling as deputy
secretary and Kashyap “Kash” Patel as FBI director.