President Trump announces Alexander Acosta as new labor secretary nominee

President Donald Trump announced Alexander Acosta as his new choice to lead the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday, following the withdrawal of his original pick, Andrew Puzder.

Acosta currently serves as the dean of Florida International University College of Law. He previously served as a member of the National Labor Relations Board, a position he was appointed to by President George W. Bush in 2002. Acosta then served as assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division.

If confirmed, Acosta will be the first Hispanic member of Trump's cabinet.

See all of Trump's picks for Cabinet and administration positions

Puzder, a fast-food chain executive, withdrew from consideration on Wednesday amid escalating concerns he would not secure enough Republican support to be confirmed by the Senate.

"After careful consideration and discussions with my family, I am withdrawing my nomination for Secretary of Labor," Puzder said in a statement. "While I won't be serving in the administration, I fully support the President and his highly qualified team."

Puzder's withdrawal came on the heels of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's resignation earlier this week. Flynn stepped down after reports surfaced that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other senior officials about his communications with Russian leaders before Trump took office.

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