Trump removes official overseeing jobs data after weak report

President Trump Fires Head of Bureau of Labor Statistics Over Alleged Manipulation of Jobs Figures

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a controversial move, President Donald Trump removed Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, after a recent report showed a slowdown in job growth. The report also revealed that job creation in May and June was much weaker than previously reported.

Trump accused the agency of manipulating the data for political reasons and called for McEntarfer’s immediate dismissal. He claimed that the job numbers were “rigged” to make him and the Republicans look bad, although he provided no evidence to support this accusation.

The President’s decision to fire McEntarfer is seen as a significant assertion of power and has raised concerns about the integrity of the U.S. government’s economic data. Economists and investors have traditionally viewed the data produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as unbiased and reliable.

After Trump’s announcement, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed that McEntarfer was no longer leading the bureau and that William Wiatrowski would serve as the acting director.

The latest jobs report indicated that only 73,000 jobs were added in July and that previous job gains in May and June were revised downward. The report suggested a weakening economy, which some attribute to trade tensions and rising inflation.

Despite bipartisan support for McEntarfer’s nomination in 2023, Trump criticized the revisions to the job data, emphasizing the need for accuracy and fairness in reporting such crucial information.

The President’s actions have sparked debate about the independence of government institutions and the impact of political interference in economic data reporting.

Published on: August 1, 2025 at 12:46 PM MDT