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1h ago

Trump’s BLS Nominee Faces Scrutiny on Credentials and Statistical Integrity

Critics warn that his partisan background coupled with a plan to halt monthly jobs reports risks politicizing labor data, undermining market confidence.

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The US Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, DC on Monday, August 11. The $2 trillion market for securities linked to US inflation data could be the first area of Treasuries to crack if the Bureau of Labor Statistics is politicized, according to bond investors.
Protesters clash with riot police during a demonstration in the center of Athens on February 24, 2010. Greece ground to a halt on February 24 as unions staged a one-day general strike and thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest austerity measures designed to tame a public debt crisis. Schools, government offices and courthouses were all closed while there was also major disruption to public transport, banks, hospitals and state-owned companies.
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Overview

  • President Trump dismissed Erika McEntarfer after the weak July jobs report and tapped Heritage Foundation economist E.J. Antoni, leaving the BLS led by an acting commissioner while Antoni’s Senate confirmation is pending.
  • Leading economists and former BLS chiefs question Antoni’s lack of traditional statistical and agency experience and warn his partisan ties could compromise nonpartisan data stewardship.
  • Antoni’s proposal to replace monthly jobs reports with quarterly data has sparked concerns that reduced release frequency could erode timely economic insights.
  • Persistent BLS challenges—including falling survey response rates and substantial routine revisions—have prompted Friends of the BLS to urge Congress for at least $770 million to modernize surveys and methods.
  • Analysts caution that any perception of manipulated inflation figures could disrupt Federal Reserve decisions, spook markets and shrink IRS inflation adjustments, effectively raising taxes.