The firing of the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by Donald Trump has sparked concerns among economists about the credibility of the agency's data. Erika McEntarfer was dismissed hours after the July jobs report showed a disappointing addition of just 73,000 jobs, far below expectations, and significant downward revisions to previous months' figures.
Trump, who had boasted about the economy's strength, accused the bureau of rigging the numbers to make him look bad. He announced on social media that the data were “RIGGED” and that McEntarfer would be replaced by “someone much more competent and qualified.” The White House has since implemented a hiring freeze at the BLS, which has lost 15% of its workforce since Trump took office.
The BLS releases key economic indicators, including the unemployment rate and consumer price index, which are closely watched by Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, and international observers. Economists from both sides of the political spectrum have criticized Trump's nominee for commissioner, EJ Antoni of the conservative Heritage Foundation, who has previously accused the bureau of manipulating data to favour Democrats and called for drastic cuts to the agency.
Antoni, a contributor to the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, has yet to be confirmed by Congress. In the interim, longtime BLS official William Watrowski serves as acting commissioner. While the bureau's operations have remained largely unchanged so far, economists warn that the politicisation of the agency could undermine trust in its data, which is vital for economic decision-making.
