 "Trump sacks labour statistics chief hours after job report showed a grim image")
US President Donald Trump fired the federal government official who is in charge of Labour statistics. What was concerning was the fact that the news of the official’s sacking came just hours after US job data revealed that the employment growth stalled this summer, prompting accusations that he is “firing the messenger”.
Soon after the White House made the firing official, the president claimed that Erika McEntarfer, commissioner of labour statistics, had “faked” employment figures in the run-up to last year’s election. Trump accused McEntarfer of forging numbers in a bid to boost former US Vice President Kamala Harris's chance of victory in the 2024 US Presidential Elections.
Dimayed by the latest figures, Trump went on to claim: “Today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad”. However, he gave no evidence to support his allegations and insisted that the US economy was, in fact, “BOOMING” on his watch.
US Job report paints a grim picture
On Friday, the US employment report raised questions about the state of the labour market since Trump’s return to the office. “We need accurate job numbers,” he wrote on Truth Social. “I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified.”
Shortly after the report was released, the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) confirmed in a brief statement that McEntarfer had been dismissed and William Wiatrowski, the agency’s deputy commissioner, would serve as acting commissioner. It is pertinent to note that Trump’s abrupt announcement came as administration officials scrambled to explain a lacklustre employment report.
Not only did job growth in the country fail to meet expectations in July, but the previous estimates in May and June were also revised significantly lower. The president went on to accuse the bureau of trying to hide accurate statistics. However, his move garnered criticism among experts.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Trump is firing the messenger because he doesn’t seem to like job numbers that reflect how badly he’s damaged the economy,” said Lily Roberts, managing director for inclusive growth at the Centre for American Progress, a think tank.
“Politicising our country’s collection of data on what’s going on in the economy … will make it harder to create an economy that makes sure everyone has a good job,” added Roberts. “Borrowing from the authoritarian playbook fuels more uncertainty that will cost Americans for years to come.”
Meanwhile, Paul Schroeder, executive director of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, described the president’s allegation as “very damaging and outrageous”. “Not only does it undermine the integrity of federal economic statistics, but it also politicises data which needs to remain independent and trustworthy. This action is a grave error by the administration and one that will have ramifications for years to come," he added.
The veteran who was dismissed
It is pertinent to note that McEntarfer is a widely respected economist and veteran employee of the federal government. In the past, she had worked at the US Census Bureau under George W Bush and at the US Census Bureau under Barack Obama , Trump and Joe Biden. In January 2024, McEntarfer was confirmed to the post by the US Senate.
In a letter also signed by organisations including the American Statistics Association and a string of senior economists, they said there were “many reasons” to confirm McEntarfer as commissioner of labour statistics, citing her “wealth of research and statistical experience”. She was ultimately confirmed by a vote in the Senate, with 86 votes cast in favour and eight against.
Trump’s decision to fire McEntarfer was “outrageous but not surprising”, said Julie Su, former acting US labour secretary under Biden. “He hates facts, so he blames truth-tellers.” “The US needs and deserves trustworthy economic data”, added Su. “This is a pathetic attempt by the president to gaslight everyone about the consequences of his disastrous economic policies.”
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