President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed the head of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Erika McEntarfer, following the release of a weaker-than-expected monthly jobs report that showed only 73,000 jobs were added in July. The report also included major downward revisions for May and June, totaling a cut of 258,000 previously reported jobs.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump accused McEntarfer — a Biden-era appointee — of overseeing misleading data, claiming, “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified.” Trump added that such figures were "RIGGED" to damage his administration and the Republican Party, News.Az reports, citing Politico.
McEntarfer, confirmed in 2024 by an overwhelming Senate majority, had previously served as an economist for President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisors and held positions at the Census Bureau and the Treasury Department. Trump’s decision has drawn strong criticism from economists, statisticians, and political leaders across the spectrum.
Despite the BLS's reputation for independence and rigorous methodology, Trump repeated claims that the agency had previously published inflated employment numbers during the final stretch of the Biden administration, an accusation economists have widely rejected as a fundamental misunderstanding of the data revision process.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer backed Trump’s decision, naming Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski as acting head. Wiatrowski has previously served in the interim role, including during Trump’s first term.
Critics argue that the president’s move undermines the credibility and independence of the BLS at a time when its data is critical for economic decision-making. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the firing, saying, “What does a bad leader do when they get bad news? Shoot the messenger.”
Former BLS officials also voiced concern. William Beach, who led the agency during Trump’s first term, called the president’s accusations “baseless” and “damaging.” Michael Horrigan, a veteran of the BLS and now president of the Upjohn Institute, described the firing as “absolutely inappropriate,” adding that the data was not “faked” and that McEntarfer’s appointment by Biden was irrelevant to the quality of the agency’s work.
Trump’s escalating attacks on federal institutions have extended to the Federal Reserve, which he has pressured to cut interest rates, calling Chairman Jerome Powell “Too Late Powell” and suggesting he be removed as well. Economists warn that such public interference could rattle financial markets already jittery due to the disappointing jobs report and Trump’s newly announced tariffs.
BLS data plays a central role in decisions made by the Federal Reserve, businesses, and investors. Experts fear that undermining the agency could shake confidence in key economic indicators such as inflation and unemployment, which in turn affect everything from monetary policy to consumer sentiment.
Although Trump has not yet named a permanent replacement, any new nominee will likely face intense scrutiny from both Congress and Wall Street.
Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, summarized the broader concern: “Unfortunately, it will call into question the validity and reliability of the data used to collect the most sensitive economic metrics: the U.S. unemployment rate and the monthly jobs growth rate.”
