President Trump announced he had dismissed the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics following the release of disappointing jobs data for July, along with downward revisions for the previous two months. The BLS confirmed that Erika McEntarfer was terminated on Friday and said longtime agency official William Wiatrowski would serve as acting commissioner.
Trump’s decision followed the BLS report showing only 73,000 new jobs were added in July, with a combined 258,000 fewer jobs reported in May and June than previously stated. The president accused McEntarfer—without offering evidence—of manipulating the figures for political purposes. McEntarfer, who had been with the agency for two decades, was promoted during the Biden administration.
Trump expressed his frustration on Truth Social, claiming the weak numbers were part of a broader effort to damage his administration’s image. He alleged the data had been “rigged” and stated his administration would install someone “much more competent and qualified” to oversee the agency.
In a follow-up post, Trump suggested that previous job reports had also shown suspicious downward revisions, always painting the economy in a negative light. He emphasized that the economy was thriving under his leadership, despite actions from the Federal Reserve that he said were also politically motivated.
Trump’s former BLS commissioner William Beach criticized the firing, warning that it undermines the agency’s mission and sets a harmful precedent. Jed Kolko, who once led statistical policy at the Commerce Department, called the move an intentional assault on the integrity of U.S. economic data.
White House economist Stephen Miran told Axios that the BLS needs “fresh eyes” due to recent dramatic revisions but did not endorse Trump’s claim that the numbers were rigged. Miran acknowledged the size of the revisions was concerning, though he said no alternative data suggested the figures were incorrect.
The BLS is widely regarded as a gold standard for labor data internationally. Its monthly jobs survey relies on responses from about 121,000 employers, with revisions made in the following months as more data comes in—especially from late-responding businesses. This process is standard and has been in place since 1979. Though the preliminary numbers may fluctuate, the agency’s commitment to transparency is what gives the data its reputation for reliability.
Revisions often result from adjustments in seasonal employment trends or benchmarking against unemployment insurance filings to ensure accuracy. While the overall job creation figures are regularly updated, the unemployment rate is not revised month to month. Large revisions are not unusual and are intended to provide a more accurate view of the labor market over time.
