Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sharply criticized President Trump on Sunday over his decision to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics following the release of disappointing jobs data. Christie, once a close ally and now one of Trump’s more vocal Republican critics, accused the president of acting like a “petulant child” by blaming others instead of taking responsibility.
Appearing on a Sunday morning news program, Christie said he wasn’t shocked to see Trump lash out in response to the July jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy added just 73,000 jobs — well below expectations. The report also included significant downward revisions to job numbers from May and June, revealing that 258,000 fewer jobs were created than initially reported.
“When he gets news he doesn’t like, he needs someone to blame, because he won’t take the responsibility himself,” Christie said during a roundtable segment. “This is the action of a petulant child. Like, ‘You give me bad news, I fire the messenger.’”
Trump dismissed BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer just hours after the data was made public, sparking immediate criticism from economists and former officials across the political spectrum. Christie noted that the BLS chief plays a limited role in the production of economic data and emphasized that the reports are the result of input from a large team of analysts, statisticians, and economists.
“I can tell you from my time as governor, rigging those numbers would be nearly impossible,” Christie said. “There are too many people involved in compiling and checking the data. It’s not something a single official could manipulate.”
He went on to say that the commissioner’s job is to serve as a conduit for data compiled by career staff and economists, not to personally adjust or revise the numbers herself. “All she’s doing is conveying the information. She’s not sitting there reworking the numbers line by line,” Christie added.
Trump, for his part, has doubled down on the decision. He defended firing McEntarfer and said he would name a replacement soon, stating that the government “needs people who will give the American people fair and accurate numbers.” Trump has suggested the recent jobs reports were politically motivated, though he has yet to provide any concrete evidence to support that claim.
Christie concluded by saying the episode highlights deeper issues with how the president manages his administration and responds to criticism. “It’s irresponsible, both in terms of the facts and in terms of leadership,” he said.