Trump appoints a conservative economist to lead the statistical agency
The nomination of E.J. Antoni, a conservative economist from the Heritage Foundation, to lead the BLS has indeed raised significant questions about the reliability and political independence of market-moving government data.
Antoni, who has been a contributor to the controversial Project 2025 blueprint, was nominated by President Trump shortly after Trump fired the previous BLS commissioner following a series of disappointing jobs reports. Critics, including economists from across the political spectrum, have expressed concern that Antoni's appointment politicizes the traditionally nonpartisan BLS, potentially undermining trust in the accuracy and impartiality of critical economic indicators like employment figures.
Several conservative economists have publicly criticized Antoni for a track record of errors and partisan bias while at the Heritage Foundation, highlighting a risk that the agency's data outputs could be skewed under his leadership. The firing of the prior commissioner immediately after adverse job statistics has further intensified fears that the administration seeks to interfere with or manipulate official economic data dissemination.
The BLS, one of the government's top statistical agencies, is responsible for producing the monthly jobs report and tracking inflation. The agency's reports are closely watched by investors, policymakers, and the general public, as they provide crucial insights into the health of the economy. The nomination of Antoni, a partisan economist, breaks the tradition of apolitical technocrats serving as commissioners.
The nomination comes 10 days after the firing of the previous BLS chief over a disappointing jobs report. In the three months leading up to the nomination, the BLS reported weaker-than-expected job gains for May, June, and July. This series of disappointing reports may have contributed to the decision to replace the previous commissioner and nominate Antoni.
Opposition groups emphasize Antoni’s connection to far-right efforts to overhaul government institutions and describe the nomination as part of ideological control over independent agencies. The concerns about Antoni's nomination reflect serious doubts about maintaining the credibility and reliability of BLS data in the near future.
In response to the criticism, President Trump claimed that Antoni will ensure honest and accurate numbers if confirmed. However, the concerns about Antoni's partisan background and the timing of the nomination following a series of disappointing jobs reports have led many to question the motives behind the nomination.
[1] New York Times [2] Bloomberg [3] Politico [4] Washington Post
