Overview

• President Trump dismissed Commissioner Erika McEntarfer after the July report showed only 73,000 new jobs and 258,000 downward revisions for May and June.
• McEntarfer’s deputy, William Wiatrowski, is now serving as acting commissioner while the White House searches for a permanent nominee.
• Former BLS head William Beach and the Friends of the BLS called Trump’s claims of “rigged” numbers unfounded and urged Congress to investigate the firing.
• Republican and Democratic lawmakers condemned the removal as an unprecedented intervention that threatens the independence of nonpartisan data.
• Economists and editorial boards warned that politicizing labor statistics could erode confidence in economic indicators critical for policymaking and market stability.