Trump-inspired statistical management to be spearheaded by Antoni within his department
The appointment of E.J. Antoni as the head of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has sparked concerns among economists over the agency's independence. Antoni, a longtime critic of the BLS and affiliated with conservative groups, was nominated by President Donald Trump.
Antoni's nomination comes shortly after the dismissal of Erika McEntarfer, the previous BLS commissioner, following a weak jobs report that Trump claimed showed "faked" statistics without evidence. This sequence of events, along with Antoni's background, has raised apprehension about potential political influence compromising the BLS's traditionally independent and nonpartisan status.
The BLS is an independent statistical agency whose reports on employment and other economic indicators are critical for government and business decision-making. Given Antoni's previous criticism of the BLS and his political affiliations, economists worry that the agency's data integrity and impartiality may be at risk under his leadership.
The work of the BLS is renowned worldwide for its "gold standard" status, free from political influence. However, the nomination is still subject to Senate confirmation, and further developments would clarify the implications for the agency's independence.
The dismissal of McEntarfer followed a BLS report showing weak job growth in July and significant downward revisions for the two preceding months. This marked the largest downward revision since the beginning of the pandemic, removing 258,000 jobs from the months of May and June.
Trump emphasized that the published numbers under Antoni's leadership will be "honest and accurate". He wrote on Truth Social that "Our economy is booming," when announcing Antoni's appointment.
E.J. Antoni had previously expressed concerns about the recent labor market data and statistical revisions by the BLS. He is the Chief Economist of the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Economists have expressed concerns about the independence of the BLS following McEntarfer's dismissal. Trump accused McEntarfer without evidence of manipulating the numbers for political purposes. Many economists now see the independence of the BLS as threatened following McEntarfer's dismissal.
[1] Source: The Wall Street Journal, "Trump's Appointment of Critic to Head BLS Raises Concerns Over Agency's Independence", August 10, 2022.
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