Trump Fires BLS Chief After Weak July Jobs Report

President Donald Trump ordered the immediate dismissal of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Dr. Erika McEntarfer, a Biden appointee, after a July jobs report showed only 73,000 jobs created and significant downward revisions for May and June, totaling 258,000 fewer jobs than previously reported. Trump accused McEntarfer of manipulating data for political gain without providing evidence, and also criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for allegedly politically motivated pre-election rate cuts. The weak jobs numbers, alongside a rise in unemployment to 4.2%, triggered a sharp stock market drop and fueled concerns about the labor market's stability amid Trump's tariff policies. Economists reported that most job gains in July were in health care, while goods-producing sectors continued to contract. Former officials and experts defended the statistical integrity of the Bureau, noting that data revisions are a standard practice rather than signs of manipulation. Critics argue that the firing undermines trust in economic data and raises concerns about politicization.