Donald Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Friday. The firing came just hours after a disappointing jobs report. The BLS announced only 73,000 jobs were added in July, far below forecasts.
Trump posted on Truth Social, accusing McEntarfer of releasing “rigged” numbers. He said the data was meant to make him and Republicans “look bad.” Trump offered no proof for the claim. He wrote, “We need accurate Jobs Numbers,” and ordered her fired “IMMEDIATELY.”
Along with July’s weak results, the BLS also cut job growth estimates for May and June. The revisions lowered previous numbers by more than 200,000 jobs.
Trump used the change to question the agency’s credibility. He pointed out that McEntarfer was a Biden appointee.
Trump’s critics were quick to highlight an older post from him. Just two months ago, he praised a strong jobs report compiled under McEntarfer.
“GREAT JOB NUMBERS, STOCK MARKET UP BIG!” Trump wrote in June. That post resurfaced as users pointed out the contradiction.
Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski took over as acting head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after Trump removed Erika McEntarfer. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed the appointment and backed Trump’s criticism, stating that jobs data “must never be manipulated.”
Vice President JD Vance also joined the conversation. He shared a chart highlighting job gains for native-born Americans and declines for foreign-born workers, crediting the shift to Trump’s immigration policies.
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Economists voiced concern over the firing. The BLS has long operated independently of politics. Experts say sudden leadership changes threaten trust in government data going forward.
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