Trump displays charts, asserting distortion in job figures - Trump unveils graphs showcasing disputed employment figures
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has levelled allegations against Erika McEntarfer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner appointed by President Joe Biden, accusing her of manipulating job market statistics for political purposes during the 2024 election campaign.
The controversy arose after the BLS released a monthly jobs report showing slower-than-expected job growth in July 2024, with a significant downward revision of previous months' figures. Trump publicly accused the BLS of "rigging" the numbers to undermine Republican economic success and to benefit Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Following these claims, McEntarfer was dismissed by Trump, who alleged without evidence that she fabricated or manipulated employment data to improve Democratic electoral chances, particularly ahead of the 2024 election.
However, the downward revisions, including an 818,000 jobs downward revision in March 2024, were part of an annual benchmarking adjustment using more precise state unemployment data. These adjustments are routine and transparent, designed to improve accuracy, not political manipulation.
Experts and former officials, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and a former BLS commissioner, have dismissed Trump's accusations as unfounded. They emphasize that BLS data is compiled by large teams following strict procedures, and the commissioner cannot unilaterally change the figures.
Fact-checking organizations have found no evidence supporting Trump’s claims and note his pattern of discrediting jobs data when it is unfavourable to him or benefits Democrats.
During a meeting at the White House, Trump and his long-time advisor presented alleged correct data, which showed a $1,174 (€1,109) increase in the inflation-adjusted average income of US households in the first five months of the Trump administration.
The identity of McEntarfer's successor is currently unknown. The job market statistics during the Biden administration, as described by Trump's advisor, were a "huge mistake." The numbers for jobs created in May and June were revised downwards by a total of 258,000.
The Labor Department attributes the job creation revisions to mass layoffs of public employees ordered by Trump and uncertainty of employers about his trade policy. The BLS reported that only 73,000 jobs were created in July, significantly fewer than expected by experts.
Trump's long-time advisor, who works for the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, endorses Trump's decision to replace the BLS leadership. Trump believes that the manipulation of job market statistics might have been done on purpose. However, these allegations remain unsubstantiated and contradicted by BLS procedures and expert analysis.
- Donald Trump, the former US President, has accused Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), of manipulating employment statistics for political purposes during the 2024 election campaign.
- Trump's accusations were sparked by a monthly jobs report showing slower-than-expected job growth in July 2024, with significant downward revisions of previous months' figures.
- The controversy intensified when Trump dismissed McEntarfer, accusing her without evidence of fabricating or manipulating employment data to improve Democratic electoral chances.
- However, the downward revisions were part of an annual benchmarking adjustment using more precise state unemployment data, a process designed to improve accuracy, not political manipulation.
- Experts and former officials, including Larry Summers, a former Treasury Secretary, have dismissed Trump's accusations as unfounded, emphasizing that BLS data is compiled according to strict procedures, and the commissioner cannot unilaterally change the figures.
- During a meeting at the White House, Trump and his advisor presented alleged corrected data, showing a increase in the inflation-adjusted average income of US households in the first five months of the Trump administration.
- Despite Trump's allegations, fact-checking organizations have found no evidence supporting his claims and note his pattern of discrediting jobs data when it is unfavourable to him or benefits Democrats.
