Trump picks conservative economist to lead jobs data agency

August 12, 2025

President Donald Trump has nominated EJ Antoni, an economist from the Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) after firing previous commissioner Erika McEntarfer. Trump fired McEntarfer earlier in August, accusing her of rigging jobs figures, following weaker-than-expected employment data and significant downward revisions to previous months' statistics. Antoni, who has previously criticized the BLS's methodology and called its statistics "phoney baloney," must be confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate before assuming the position.

Who is affected

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as an institution
Erika McEntarfer, the fired BLS Commissioner
EJ Antoni, the nominee for BLS Commissioner
William Watrowski, current Acting Commissioner
Economists who have expressed concerns about politicization of economic data
The American public who relies on BLS employment statistics

What action is being taken

President Trump is nominating EJ Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Republican-controlled Senate is required to review and confirm Antoni's appointment
William Watrowski is currently serving as Acting Commissioner after McEntarfer's firing
Economists are criticizing the unprecedented firing of a BLS commissioner

Why it matters

The firing and replacement of the BLS Commissioner raises concerns about the politicization of economic data
The Bureau of Labor Statistics produces critical employment statistics that impact policy decisions and economic outlook
Antoni has previously criticized BLS methodology, suggesting potential changes to how economic data is collected or reported
The move sets what former BLS commissioner William Beach called a "dangerous precedent" for political interference in economic statistics
The integrity of government economic data is essential for markets, policymakers, and the public

What's next

The US Senate will need to confirm Antoni's appointment
No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC