Trade adviser says Trump has “real concerns” about jobs data after president fires labor statistics chief
President Trump’s recent decision to dismiss the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Erika McEntarfer, has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the accuracy of federal economic data. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended the President’s actions, citing Mr. Trump’s “real concerns” regarding the reliability of government labor statistics.
Following the release of the July jobs report, which indicated a hiring slowdown and prompted revisions to previous months’ figures, Mr. Trump took to social media to express his dissatisfaction, alleging that the numbers were “RIGGED.” This led to the abrupt dismissal of McEntarfer, a move that has been met with criticism and skepticism.
Greer reiterated Mr. Trump’s authority to make personnel decisions within the executive branch, defending the President’s prerogative to remove McEntarfer from her position. However, former Labor Statistics Commissioner William Beach condemned the firing as baseless and potentially damaging to the credibility of economic data.
The latest jobs report revealed a modest increase in employment numbers, but also highlighted a slight decline in manufacturing jobs. Despite the administration’s efforts to boost American manufacturing through tariff policies, concerns remain about the impact of these measures on domestic industries that rely on foreign inputs.
Greer’s Projections for Manufacturing Jobs
Addressing the drop in manufacturing jobs, Greer downplayed the significance of tariff policies in the data, attributing the numbers to conditions preceding the recent legislative developments. He expressed optimism about future job growth in the manufacturing sector, citing the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” as a catalyst for increased business investment and employment opportunities.
