Trump BLS Nominee Proposes Suspending Monthly Jobs Reports

President Donald Trump's nominee for Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, EJ Antoni, has proposed suspending the agency's monthly jobs reports until data accuracy improves, suggesting a shift to quarterly reports which he considers more reliable. Antoni raised concerns about the fundamental flaws in the current methodology, economic modeling, and assumptions used by the BLS, highlighting that recent large downward revisions to May and June jobs data have undermined confidence among decision-makers from Wall Street to Washington. He emphasized the importance of accurate employment data for businesses and policymakers to plan effectively, noting the difficulty in understanding true job gains or losses under the current system. The BLS has tracked monthly revisions for decades, with some improvements since adopting a new sampling method in 2003, but Antoni insists further reforms are necessary before reliable monthly reporting can resume. This proposal has sparked debate given the crucial role monthly jobs reports play as a timely economic indicator influencing market and policy decisions. While the idea of suspending monthly data release faces skepticism, Antoni's nomination and suggestions highlight significant concerns about the integrity of labor statistics data.