The nomination marks a second attempt by Puzder to secure a senior role in the Trump administration. In 2017, Puzder was nominated for Secretary of Labor but withdrew from the process one day before his confirmation hearing. That withdrawal followed the resurfacing of a 2004 lawsuit by a former executive alleging sexual discrimination and harassment, as well as historical allegations of physical abuse by his ex-wife. At the time, Puzder maintained that the abuse claims were untrue, stating, “There was never any substance to the abuse. I always denied it. She admitted very shortly after the divorce that they weren’t true.”
Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former Ambassador to Japan, formally introduced Puzder at a committee hearing on June 10, 2025. In his remarks, Hagerty highlighted Puzder’s leadership of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, noting that under Puzder’s tenure, the company expanded to over 3,800 restaurants across 45 states and 40 foreign countries, employing more than 115,000 people worldwide.
Hagerty argued that Puzder’s experience navigating international markets and cross-border business challenges provides him with a practical understanding of global commerce, which he described as an asset for managing transatlantic economic relations. The senator also cited Puzder’s background as an attorney and advocate for pro-growth economic policies and regulatory reform. Hagerty urged his colleagues to support the nomination, stating that Puzder’s experience is critical to furthering ties between the United States and Europe.
During his 2017 nomination, Puzder’s ex-wife, Lisa Henning, now Lisa Fierstein, appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 1990, though she did not discuss specific physical abuse claims on that occasion. Fierstein later wrote a letter to the Senate HELP Committee stating she regretted her decision to appear on the show. A spokesperson for Puzder and Fierstein told Politico in 2017 that the two are “close friends today” and that perpetuating the “retracted 30-year-old allegations” was an attempt to tarnish Puzder.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the new nomination. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will now proceed with the confirmation process, which typically involves further hearings and a final vote. Puzder’s nomination is part of a broader set of second-term appointments, including Jacob Helberg, who was simultaneously introduced as the nominee for Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.
