Trump Fires US Labor Statistics Chief After Disputed July Jobs Report

President Donald Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer following the release of a jobs report that showed only 73,000 new jobs were added in July, along with significant downward revisions for May and June. Trump accused McEntarfer, a Biden appointee, of manipulating jobs data to conceal Republican successes and claimed the numbers were rigged to harm his standing. This move has sparked widespread criticism from economists and former BLS officials, who argue that the Bureau’s decentralized and methodical data collection process is designed to ensure accuracy and impartiality, and that revisions are routine as new data emerges. The White House defended Trump’s decision, stating that the president has legitimate concerns about the reliability of the job numbers and is seeking new leadership to restore confidence. Critics warn that firing the commissioner could damage trust in U.S. economic data, which underpins government policy and financial markets, while supporters call for reform of the BLS's methodology. The controversy highlights tensions over economic data interpretation and the politicization of federal statistical agencies.