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4h ago

Trump Fires BLS Commissioner Over Weak July Jobs Data

An acting commissioner has taken charge at the agency, with a permanent nominee expected this week following bipartisan warnings that the dismissal threatens the independence of economic reporting

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Overview

  • President Donald Trump dismissed BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on August 1 after the bureau reported only 73,000 jobs added in July along with a 258,000-job downward revision for May and June.
  • Acting Commissioner William Wiatrowski emailed staff to stress the agency’s mission remains unchanged while McEntarfer praised its commitment to rigorous, nonpartisan data in her farewell note.
  • The White House installed an interim head and Trump said he will nominate a permanent commissioner within three to four days to ensure confidence in future jobs numbers.
  • Senators Elizabeth Warren, Brian Schatz and other bipartisan lawmakers condemned the firing as a politicization of economic statistics that could erode public trust.
  • JPMorgan economist Michael Feroli and other analysts warned the abrupt leadership change risks undermining monetary policy, financial stability and market confidence by casting doubt on data integrity.