Trump Fires Bureau Of Labor Statistics Chief After Weak Jobs Report

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

In a dramatic response to a disappointing new jobs report, President Donald Trump has fired Erika McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), intensifying political scrutiny over the nation’s economic data and who controls it.

Just hours after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the US economy added only 73,000 jobs in July — far fewer than economists expected — Trump took to Truth Social to announce the immediate dismissal McEntarfer on Friday afternoon, Aug. 1.

The report also revealed that job gains for May and June were revised down by more than 200,000 positions, raising concerns about the accuracy of previous employment figures.

Trump accused McEntarfer, a Biden appointee and veteran labor economist, of manipulating jobs data for political purposes. 

“I was just informed that our Country’s ‘Jobs Numbers’ are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer...who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala’s chances of Victory,” Trump wrote, referring to former Vice President Kamala Harris, his opponent in the 2024 election.

He further alleged that the BLS had “overstated the Jobs Growth in March 2024 by approximately 818,000 and, then again, right before the 2024 Presidential Election, in August and September, by 112,000.”

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer echoed Trump’s concerns, stating on X that she supports the president’s decision: 

“Our jobs numbers must be fair, accurate, and never manipulated for political purposes," she wrote in the post. "I support the President’s decision to replace Biden’s Commissioner and ensure the American People can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS.”

McEntarfer, who was confirmed as commissioner in 2023, had previously worked at both the BLS and the Census Bureau. She is being replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski, a longtime BLS official who has served through multiple administrations.

The abrupt leadership change comes amid heightened debate over the integrity of federal economic statistics, with Trump vowing to install “someone much more competent and qualified” at the helm. 

The search for a permanent replacement is underway.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.