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| Former BLS commissioner said that political interference in economic data collection could have dire consequences. Win McNamee/Getty Images |
The sudden dismissal of Erika McEntarfer, former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), has raised alarm bells about the integrity of US economic data. In her first public remarks since being ousted by President Donald Trump last month, McEntarfer cautioned that political interference in official reporting could have devastating consequences for markets, businesses, and public trust.
“Economic Data Must Be Free From Partisan Influence”
Speaking at Bard College, her alma mater, McEntarfer drew a stark comparison between economic statistics and traffic lights — signals that must remain neutral and trustworthy to keep society functioning.
“Markets have to trust the data are not manipulated,” she said. “Firing your chief statisticians for releasing data you do not like — it has serious economic consequences. The list of countries that have gone down this route, it’s not a good list.”
She added that persistent staff and budget cuts at the BLS have already weakened its ability to accurately track the labor market and broader economic activity, compounding the risks of political meddling.
Trump’s Reason for the Firing
McEntarfer was dismissed after the release of a disappointing jobs report showing that the US added about 250,000 fewer jobs than expected. Trump alleged that the data had been “manipulated to hurt him politically.”
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote:
“We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”
McEntarfer, who was appointed by President Joe Biden in January 2024 and confirmed by a bipartisan Senate vote, rejected the idea of political influence in her work.
Economists Sound the Alarm
Experts across the political spectrum condemned the firing, warning that undermining the credibility of official statistics could destabilize financial markets and erode public confidence in the economy.
Jed Kolko, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former Undersecretary for Economic Affairs, called the move “five-alarm intentional harm to the integrity of US economic data and the entire statistical system.”
Even William Beach, a Trump-appointed former BLS commissioner, criticized the decision, calling it “a dangerous precedent.”
Trump’s Nominee for the Role
In McEntarfer’s place, Trump has nominated E.J. Antoni, a conservative economist at the Heritage Foundation. Antoni has been outspokenly critical of BLS reporting in the past and has no prior government experience. His appointment requires Senate confirmation, and his selection has already sparked debate about the future independence of the agency.
Why Data Integrity Matters
The BLS provides essential statistics that guide policymakers, businesses, and investors — from unemployment rates to wage growth figures. If stakeholders begin to doubt the impartiality of these numbers, the ripple effects could be severe: higher market volatility, declining investor confidence, and reduced effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policy.
As McEntarfer warned, economic data are not political talking points. They are foundational to decision-making in a modern economy. Any perception of bias or manipulation could erode decades of trust in America’s statistical institutions.
