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Trump Ousts BLS Director Over Disputed Job Figures

The administration claims revisions prove data manipulation following unusually large downgrades in May and June job growth.

Overview

  • President Trump removed BLS Director Erika McEntarfer after the bureau reported just 73,000 new jobs in July and cut May–June gains by 258,000.
  • National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett defended the firing by pointing to the magnitude of the revisions as evidence of deliberate skewing.
  • Bipartisan senators and leading economists say the move undermines the independence of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a critical source for global markets and policy makers.
  • Markets and analysts have warned that politicizing labor data could damage confidence in U.S. economic statistics and destabilize investment decisions.
  • A successor to McEntarfer is expected to be named within days as the White House stands by its accusations against the agency’s methodology.