Trump Nominates Conservative Economist E.J. Antoni to Lead Bureau of Labor Statistics

President Donald Trump has nominated E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Antoni would replace Erika McEntarfer, whom Trump fired in early August following a jobs report that showed weaker-than-expected employment figures and revised lower job gains for May and June. Trump accused McEntarfer without evidence of bias and manipulating employment data for political reasons, raising concerns among Democrats and former officials about the politicization of economic data. Trump emphasized that Antoni's leadership will ensure honest and accurate labor statistics, reflecting his view that the economy is booming. The nomination is pending Senate confirmation. This move follows Trump's public criticism of the BLS under McEntarfer amid ongoing scrutiny of the accuracy and integrity of federal employment reports.