E.J. Antoni has been nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, taking over from Erika McEntarfer, who was recently fired. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account. Antoni, who currently serves as the chief economist at The Heritage Foundation, will need Senate confirmation to officially assume the role.
The change comes after McEntarfer was dismissed following troubling revisions to job data reports. The Bureau revealed significant downward adjustments for job gains in May and June. For May, the number of jobs added was revised down from 144,000 to just 19,000, and June’s figures were cut from 147,000 to a mere 14,000. These revisions raised concerns about the accuracy of the Bureau’s data.
In his post, Trump praised Antoni, calling him a "highly respected economist" and expressing confidence that he would ensure the data released by the Bureau is “honest and accurate.” Antoni has been vocal about his criticism of the Bureau’s methods, stating that there are better ways to collect and share employment data. He emphasized the need for consistent and timely delivery of accurate information to restore public trust in the Bureau.
Trump’s decision to fire McEntarfer was also fueled by allegations that she manipulated job numbers for political reasons. He pointed to previous instances where job growth was overstated, claiming that accurate data is essential and that political motives should not influence such important statistics.
As the nomination process unfolds, all eyes will be on the Senate to see if Antoni will be confirmed as the new commissioner, and whether he can bring the changes he advocates for to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
