Trump Orders Firing of BLS Commissioner After Weak Jobs Report
In a statement posted to his campaign social media platform, President Donald Trump accused Erika McEntarfer, Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics —without offering evidence—of overseeing “flawed and manipulated job numbers” intended to benefit Democratic political figures and announced plans to appoint a replacement he described as “more competent and qualified,” just hours after the release of a disappointing July jobs report.
The July report showed the U.S. economy added only 73,000 jobs, well below expectations of 110,000, while May and June job growth was revised down by a combined 258,000—one of the steepest two-month downward revisions in more than a decade.
Trump’s move is already drawing sharp criticism from economists and political observers, who view the firing as a direct attack on the integrity and independence of federal statistical agencies. The White House is now accelerating the search for a successor, reportedly favoring individuals with closer ties to Trump’s prior economic team and campaign operations.
