Trump nominates Bureau of Labor Statistics critic to head agency
Aug. 11 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Monday nominated economist E.J. Antoni as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a non-partisan agency he has criticized.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the chief economist with the conservative Heritage Foundation would replace Erika McEntarfer, who was fired by Trump on Aug. 1, alleging that she had manipulated the jobs reports for three months.
"I am pleased to announce that I am nominating Highly Respected Economist, Dr. E.J. Antoni, as the next Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE. I know E.J. Antoni will do an incredible job in this new role. Congratulations E.J.!"
Before the Heritage Foundation, he worked for the Texas Public Policy Commission. He holds master's and doctorate degrees in economics from Northern Illinois University.
Last week, Antoni posted on X: "There are better ways to collect, process, and disseminate data -- that is the task for the next BLS commissioner, and only consistent delivery of accurate data in a timely manner will rebuild the trust that has been lost over the last several years."
On Nov. 13, one week after Trump was elected again, he wrote on X: "DOGE needs to take a chainsaw to the BLS."
Antoni had called for the firing of McEntarfer on Steve Bannon's podcast after the July jobs report was released. Later that day, she lost her job.
"Last weeks Job's Report was RIGGED," Trump wrote on Truth Social, three days after the report came out. "Those big adjustments were made to cover up, and level out, the FAKE political numbers that were CONCOCTED in order to make a great Republican Success look less stellar!!!"
Bannon, who was Trump's chief strategist for a portion of his first term, had advocated for hiring Antoni, who interviewed for the post, The Wall Street Journal on Sunday reported.
Senate Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage and confirmation only requires 50 votes. In January 2024, McEntarfer was confirmed 86-8.
"I don't think there's any grounds at all for this, for this firing, and it really hurts the statistical system," William Beach, who was nominated by Trump during his first term, said on CNN earlier this month. "Suppose that they get a new commissioner ... And they do a bad number. Well, everybody's going to think, 'well, it's not as bad as it probably really is,' because they're going to suspect political influence. So, this is damaging."
The BLS distributes data that is used by agencies, including the Federal Reserve, and companies. Besides monthly jobs reports, BLS also provides data on occupations, including wages and job outlook. Consumer spending is also analyzed.
The report showed 73,000 new jobs in July and unemployment rose to 4.2% from 4.1%, which was predicted and still historically low.
But the previous two months were adjusted downward. May was revised from 144,000 jobs added to 19,000 jobs added, and June's revision went from 147,000 jobs added to 14,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Situation Summary.
The BLS said that monthly revisions "result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indianapolis Star
a few seconds ago
- Indianapolis Star
Protesters flock to Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana to protest Trump's 'Speedway Slammer'
Protesters rallied against the so-called "Speedway Slammer" outside the Miami Correctional Facility on Aug. 12 after the Trump administration announced plans to use 1,000 detention beds in the prison to house undocumented immigrants. The transition marks the Trump administration's second state partnership to house undocumented immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the agency ramps up deportation efforts. The first, "Alligator Alcatraz" in Florida, has already been criticized for its reportedly cramped conditions and bug infestations. The shift would make Miami Correctional Facility one of the largest detention centers in the Midwest, but the maximum security prison has been plagued with complaints for years. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana has filed more than two dozen lawsuits on behalf of inmates of the prison who allege they were confined to dark cells and only let out for brief periods a few times per week. Gov. Mike Braun has repeatedly emphasized his administration's commitment to "fully cooperate" with the federal crackdown on illegal immigration 'We are proud to work with President Trump and Secretary Noem as they remove the worst of the worst with this innovative partnership,' Braun said in a Department of Homeland Security press release Aug. 5. 'Indiana is taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach to combating illegal immigration and will continue to lead the way among states.' The small group of protesters spent an hour waving signs at cars traveling along U.S. Route 31 in Miami County north of Indianapolis, which spurred regular choruses of honks from semi-trucks to sedans. Stephanie Graf-Gilliland, chair of the Miami County Democrats and organizer of the protest, said Trump represented a growing movement of racism in the U.S. "This president has made racism fashionable again," Graf-Gilliland said. She said she believes Trump's deportation efforts violate the law and that she felt a duty to do something about it as a veteran. "When you serve the country, then it stops being about you," she said. Though Graf-Gilliland is local, several protesters came from across the state. One, Purdue student Davis Avera, showed up to the protest in a George Washington costume. "They were revolutionaries, and I think we should bring that spirit back," the 22-year-old said of the Founding Fathers. Avera was one of few young people at the protest, a fact he was disappointed by. "We lost how to protest after Vietnam for some reason," he said. But rather than pointing the blame at the young folks who stayed home, Avera said the system disincentivizes political action, specifically pointing out gerrymandering, the Electoral College and what he sees as out-of-touch political parties. For example, Avera chose to vote in Indiana when he preferred to vote in his home state of Texas because he was confused by the lack of a "student" option when filling out a section of his absentee ballot application that asked why he was voting by mail. Avera was not the only person with a piece of history to share, however. Clifford Kindy, 75, said he was named after Clifford Nakadagawa, a close friend of his parents who was forcibly placed in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. He said he believes detention centers operate in the same spirit as the Japanese internment camps because both rises from a manufactured enmity against a minority group. "The lack of forgiveness, the lack of mercy, the lack of compassion, that kind of thing is what otherizes people," he said.
Politico
27 minutes ago
- Politico
Black leaders feel under siege after Trump's DC takeover
None of that appears to have deterred Trump from launching his federal takeover. 'I think this is a moment for the mayor to question whether her strategy, which has been appeasement, has been a success,' said Paul Butler, a Georgetown law professor and former federal prosecutor. He described Trump's actions as a 'bogus declaration' but suggested there is likely little reprieve D.C. officials will gain trying to challenge the president's declaration in court. 'While the court reviews whether he appropriately has this power, the Supreme Court and other lower courts [have] generally allowed him to … proceed with what he wants to do, until they get around to deciding the case,' Butler added. 'It opens the doors to further militarization of the police, not just in the District, but in the other cities that he named.' New York City mayor Eric Adams on addressed the possibility of Trump deploying federal assets to his own city following a string of shootings over the weekend that left at least two dead and eight injured. 'When you have those high profile shootings it sends a signal sometimes across the country that we're dealing with a crime issue in New York, and we're not,' Adams said Tuesday. 'I'm not part of the group that says we don't want to work with the federal government, but we don't need anyone to come in and take over our law enforcement apparatus. We've got this under control.' National Guard troops arrive at the District of Columbia National Guard Headquarters, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, in Washington. | Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Trump has ignored the wishes of local officials and deployed federal troops in recent weeks. During the height of federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, which sparked protests that turned violent, Trump federalized some 2,000 California Guard troops against the objections of Mayor Karen Bass, who is Black, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told The Recast that Trump's actions in D.C. and his singling out of other Black-led jurisdictions, including his own, is nothing more than a 'diversion and distraction tactic' to shift the focus from a volatile economic climate and the release of materials associated with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.
Politico
27 minutes ago
- Politico
White House announces Smithsonian review amid Trump's cultural reckoning
The review aims to adjust not only the museums' public exhibitions, planning and curation, but also narrative standards and collection use. The move is the latest in a sweeping effort by the Trump administration to overhaul how American history and culture is taught and presented in institutions across the country — from universities to museums to Washington's Kennedy Center for the performing arts. The letter outlines that within 30 days, eight Smithsonian museums should select a representative to liaise with the administration and provide a list of selected materials for review. Within 120 days, the museums will have a set window to institute any changes sought by the administration, 'replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions.' Still, the administration officials maintained that their goal 'is not to interfere with the day-to-day operations of curators or staff, but rather to support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America's heritage.' The initial phase of the project will target the National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Portrait Gallery and Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The administration officials said the museum network should promote the idea of 'Americanism — the people, principles, and progress that define our nation,' in order to 'renew the Smithsonian's role as the world's leading museum institution.' 'Phase II' of the review will involve an additional list of museums, the letter previewed. A spokesperson for the Smithsonian did not respond to a request for comment. Trump has specifically targeted the Smithsonian Institution, singling it out in a March executive order on 'restoring truth and sanity to American history.' The president railed against the network of museums, saying it had 'come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology' and its various branches 'portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.'
