Washington — President Trump introduced E.J. Antoni as his nominee to guide the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Monday, after he fired the previous commissioner earlier this month, blaming her for a weaker-than-expected jobs report.
Antoni is a fellow on the conservative Heritage Basis suppose tank, and he holds a doctorate in economics from Northern Illinois College. He has criticized the BLS previously for low response charges and questioned the company’s methodology, calling its medical health insurance figures “phoney baloney” final yr and at one level joking that “the ‘L’ is silent” in BLS’ title.
“DOGE must take a chainsaw to the BLS…,” he wrote in a November X publish.
“There are higher methods to gather, course of, and disseminate knowledge—that’s the job for the following BLS commissioner, and solely constant supply of correct knowledge in a well timed method will rebuild the belief that has been misplaced during the last a number of years,” he wrote shortly after Mr. Trump fired the previous BLS chief.
Mr. Trump nominated Antoni in a Reality Social publish, saying he “will be certain that the Numbers launched are HONEST and ACCURATE.”
Antoni will should be confirmed by the Senate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is presently led by performing Commissioner William Watrowski, who has labored on the company for many years.
Mr. Trump ordered his administration to terminate Erika McEntarfer, who had been commissioner of labor statistics, on Aug. 1, hours after the discharge of the July jobs report knowledge. That report confirmed a pointy slowdown in hiring, together with a steep downward revision to Might and June’s hiring numbers.
Hours earlier than her firing, Antoni criticized BLS for “knowledge issues” and a pattern of “extremely problematic” revisions, although he additionally touted some figures within the July jobs report, together with a leap in employment by native-born Individuals and a slowdown in authorities jobs.
Within the wake of McEntarfer’s firing, influential ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon backed Antoni to take over the BLS. Antoni appeared on Bannon’s present “Battle Room” on the day the roles report got here out, calling McEntarfer “incompetent.” Days later, Bannon stated “we’re pushing” for Antoni to guide the BLS, and known as him “the man that just about single-handedly took it down by going by means of their numbers.”
Saying McEntarfer’s firing in a publish on Reality Social, the president claimed — with out proof — that she had “faked the Jobs Numbers earlier than the Election to attempt to increase Kamala’s probabilities of Victory” and pledged to switch her “with somebody way more competent and certified.”
The roles report for October 2024, which was launched on Nov. 1, 2024, 4 days earlier than Election Day, confirmed simply 12,000 jobs had been created — far in need of the 100,000 forecast for the month — following two hurricanes and a significant labor dispute. The next month, that determine was revised upward, to 36,000. September’s jobs report, nevertheless, dramatically exceeded forecasts — 254,000 jobs had been created, fairly than the 140,000 financial analysts had anticipated. That determine was later revised all the way down to 223,000.
Mr. Trump continued railing towards the ousted commissioner and the BLS extra broadly within the days after he fired her, claiming in a publish on Reality Social final week that the July jobs report had been “RIGGED,” although he supplied no proof to assist it. The president stated on CNBC’s “Squawk Field” Tuesday that it is a “extremely political state of affairs.” And Nationwide Financial Council Director Kevin Hassett defended the president’s choice in an look on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” citing a collection of revisions and patterns that “may make individuals marvel.”
“What we want is a recent set of eyes over on the BLS,” Hassett stated, including that “the president needs his personal individuals there in order that after we see the numbers they’re extra clear and extra dependable.”
McEntarfer had been commissioner for somewhat over a yr and a half, after she was confirmed in a broad bipartisan vote of 86 to eight by the Senate in January 2024.
The most recent jobs report confirmed employers in July including a weaker-than-expected 73,000 jobs, with a downward revision of 258,000 fewer jobs created in Might and June. Mr. Trump, who typically touts the job numbers, known as the roles figures a “shock” and the revision a “main mistake.” The BLS stated in its report that month-to-month revisions “end result from further reviews obtained from companies and authorities businesses for the reason that final printed estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal elements.”
U.S. Commerce Consultant Jamieson Greer acknowledged in an interview for “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” earlier this month that “there are all the time revisions,” however he added that “generally you see these revisions go in actually excessive methods.”
“The president is the president. He can select who works within the government department,” Greer stated.
In the meantime, some economists and lawmakers have expressed concern over the firing, and a gaggle of former BLS leaders warned that the transfer “undermines the precious work and dedication of BLS workers” and “escalates the President’s unprecedented assaults on the independence and integrity of the federal statistical system.” The group known as on Congress to research the firing.
contributed to this report.
