Trump Nominates EJ Antoni BLS Commissioner After Firing Predecessor

President Donald Trump has nominated Heritage Foundation economist E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) after firing the previous commissioner, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, a Biden appointee. Trump criticized McEntarfer for the BLS's downward revisions of job growth figures, which showed weaker employment gains than previously reported, and accused her without evidence of manipulating data to make him look bad. Antoni, a conservative economist, has called for improved data accuracy and has expressed skepticism about the reliability of current BLS methods, including phone surveys. While Antoni supports firing McEntarfer for incompetence, he disagreed with Trump's claims of data rigging but emphasized the need for honest and accurate reporting. His nomination has drawn criticism for being partisan and lacking relevant expertise, breaking from the tradition of nonpartisan technocrats leading the agency. The Senate must confirm Antoni for him to assume the role amid concerns about politicization of the BLS under Trump's administration.