In an unusual step, President Donald Trump has dismissed Erika McEntarfer from her position as Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). News of this decision broke just hours after an underwhelming jobs report was released. President Biden appointed McEntarfer to fill that role, and the Senate confirmed her in early 2024. He has spent nearly 20 years in public service working in the federal government.
The dismissal undercuts the argument just as fears about the fragility of the U.S. This is the real state of the U.S. More recent data for September depicts a historically abrupt downturn in hiring. The U.S. economy only created an average of 35,000 jobs per month over the three months through July. In an economist survey, the expectation is for employers to have hired just 75,000 workers in August. The unreleased August jobs report will likely mark another month of declining employment growth.
Aside from having widely debunked views on inflation, Trump’s choice to replace McEntarfer – E.J. Antoni is famous for his pointed criticism of the BLS. He has deeply influenced conservative policy efforts such as Project 2025. His appointment is igniting debate about the future direction the BLS might pursue under his leadership.
William Beach, a former BLS commissioner appointed by Trump, criticized McEntarfer’s ousting. He stated,
“The totally groundless firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer, my successor as Commissioner of Labor Statistics at BLS, sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the Bureau.”
McEntarfer shared her appreciation for her role, saying,
“It has been the honor of my life to serve as Commissioner of BLS alongside the many dedicated civil servants tasked with measuring a vast and dynamic economy.”
Trump justified his decision to oust McEntarfer. He vowed that Antoni would ensure future job figures are “HONEST and ACCURATE.” He repeated an absurd, ungrounded allegation that past employment numbers had been faked. This led to even more speculation about the political motivations behind the leadership change.
The recent jobs report indicated a sharp slowdown in hiring over the summer months, which could have significant implications for economic policy. Another weaker-than-expected report would raise the specter of interest rate cuts to boost the economy.
