Trump dismisses Employment Data Administrator following the release of the jobs report
President Donald Trump has removed Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), who was appointed by former president Joe Biden. The move came after Trump alleged that the BLS under McEntarfer's leadership manipulated job data to portray his administration unfavorably.
Friday's jobs report showed that just 73,000 jobs were added last month and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. The unemployment rate increased to 4.2% in July from 4.1%. The job gains for June were revised down to 14,000 from the previously revised 147,000, and the gains in May were revised down to 19,000 from the previously revised 125,000.
Trump focused his criticism on the revisions made to previous hiring data by the BLS, stating, "No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers." He later alleged that the jobs figures were manipulated for political reasons and called for McEntarfer's immediate firing.
McEntarfer, who has over 20 years of federal service experience, was nominated by Biden in 2023 and became the commissioner of the BLS in January 2024. Her nomination was confirmed by the Senate with 86-8 votes.
Economists and Wall Street investors have long accepted the data from the BLS as free from political bias. The agency is a professional, nonpartisan statistical agency that undergoes rigorous methodologies and peer review. The revisions to job data are a routine and transparent part of the BLS's process, reflecting newly available information rather than political interference.
By publicly accusing the BLS of bias without evidence and firing its commissioner, Trump has raised concerns about politicizing official labor statistics, potentially undermining trust in key economic data used by policymakers, markets, and the public. The U.S. labor data has long been viewed as a gold standard worldwide, making attempts to discredit it particularly significant for economic confidence and transparency.
As of now, William Wiatrowski, the deputy commissioner, is serving as the acting director of the BLS. The future of the agency's leadership and the integrity of its data remain uncertain in the wake of Trump's allegations and actions.
[1] Fact-check: Trump's claim that the Bureau of Labor Statistics manipulated job numbers is false
[2] Trump's attack on the Bureau of Labor Statistics is baseless, say experts
[3] Trump's accusation of BLS manipulation threatens economic confidence
- Despite Trump's allegations, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is known for its professional, nonpartisan approach and undergoes rigorous methodologies and peer review to ensure accuracy in its data.
- The unemployment figures released by the BLS, which are widely accepted by economists and Wall Street investors, are subject to routine revisions that reflect newly available information, not political interference as claimed by Trump.
- Trump's baseless accusations of manipulation against the BLS have raised concerns about politicizing official labor statistics, which could undermine trust in key economic data and potentially negatively impact market confidence and transparency.
