In a dramatic move that sent shockwaves through Washington, President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he had directed his team to terminate Erika McEntarfer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner. This significant order came in the wake of a highly anticipated jobs report that not only indicated a slower-than-expected performance for the U.S. job market but also included substantial negative revisions to previous economic data, igniting a fierce debate over the integrity of vital employment figures.
President Trump immediately accused McEntarfer, a former President Joe Biden nominee, of manipulating jobs numbers, explicitly stating these actions were designed to “try and boost” the political prospects of former Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the upcoming election. The allegation casts a shadow over the traditionally non-partisan federal agency responsible for compiling crucial economic indicators, raising concerns about potential political influence on government transparency and official reporting.
The July jobs report itself presented a mixed picture, showing a modest gain of 73,000 jobs added, which fell short of economists’ projections, while the unemployment rate marginally increased to 4.2%, largely aligning with forecasts. More critically, the Bureau of Labor Statistics concurrently announced significant downward revisions to nonfarm payrolls for both May and June, collectively subtracting nearly 260,000 jobs from the previously reported totals, a disclosure that fueled presidential criticism.
Trump elaborated on his accusations via a Truth Social post, highlighting what he perceived as a pattern of misreporting. He specifically pointed to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for allegedly overstating job growth in March 2024 by approximately 818,000, and then again, closer to the 2024 Presidential Election in August and September, by an additional 112,000, further solidifying his claims of manipulated economic data affecting public perception.
Emphasizing the critical need for accuracy, President Trump declared, “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.” He underscored the belief that “Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes,” signalling a clear intent to reshape the leadership responsible for key U.S. economic indicators.
Following Trump’s announcement, NBC News reported that a Trump administration official corroborated the commissioner’s dismissal. McEntarfer, whose career spans two decades in the federal government with tenures at the Census Bureau, Treasury Department, and the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, now faces an abrupt end to her public service amidst this high-profile political confrontation regarding the job market accuracy.
In a subsequent post on Friday, President Trump reiterated his strong conviction, asserting, “In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad — Just like when they had three great days around the 2024 Presidential Election, and then, those numbers were ‘taken away’ on November 15, 2024, right after the Election, when the Jobs Numbers were massively revised DOWNWARD, making a correction of over 818,000 Jobs — A TOTAL SCAM.” This powerful rhetoric continued to frame the issue as a direct political attack.
However, it is important to note that the substantial 818,000 jobs revision cited by President Trump occurred in late last year, approximately three months prior to the 2024 election, contrary to his claim of it happening after the election. This specific downward revision pertained to the total U.S. job gains over a 12-month period concluding in March 2024, providing crucial context to the timeline of these economic adjustments and their relation to presidential politics.
The president’s sharp rebuke of McEntarfer extended beyond the immediate revisions, encompassing other perceived “negative” adjustments throughout the year. His frustration culminated in a broader call for change, as he suggested that Fed Chair Jerome Powell should “also be put ‘out to pasture’,” alongside the now-fired commissioner, indicating a desire for a comprehensive overhaul of economic leadership and a clear stance on government transparency and job market accuracy.
