Overview
- The White House notified the Senate that it has pulled Antoni’s nomination and said a new candidate will be named very soon, while praising him and noting he will keep his Heritage Foundation role.
- President Trump had previously ousted BLS director Erika McEntarfer after weak jobs data and accused her of manipulating statistics without providing evidence.
- CNN reported that Antoni’s now-deleted social-media posts included derogatory remarks and conspiracy theories, and that two Republican senators declined to meet with him.
- Economists had raised alarms that his appointment could compromise the quality and independence of BLS reporting.
- The BLS’s monthly jobs and inflation reports are closely watched by investors, economists, business leaders, policymakers, and consumers worldwide.