tl;dr
Donald Trump ordered the firing of Erika McEntarfer, the federal official overseeing labor statistics, after new data showed stalled job growth. Trump accused her without evidence of falsifying employment figures to benefit Kamala Harris and claimed the economy was booming under his administration d...
Donald Trump ordered the firing of Erika McEntarfer, the federal government official in charge of labor statistics, shortly after new data showed that jobs growth had stalled over the summer. The president accused McEntarfer of “faking” employment figures before last year’s election to benefit Kamala Harris, although he provided no evidence to support this claim. Trump insisted that the US economy was “BOOMING” under his administration, despite recent employment figures indicating otherwise and raising concerns about the labor market since his return to office.
On Truth Social, Trump stated, “We need accurate Jobs Numbers” and directed his team to remove McEntarfer immediately, promising to replace her with someone “much more competent and qualified.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics and McEntarfer did not comment on the firing. The employment report revealed disappointing job growth in July and significant downward revisions for May and June, leading to accusations that Trump aimed to suppress honest economic data.
Lily Roberts, managing director for inclusive growth at the Center for American Progress, criticized the move as politicizing essential economic data, warning it would undermine efforts to build an inclusive economy. She added that this tactic resembles authoritarian approaches and could hurt Americans for years. Paul Schroeder, executive director of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, called Trump’s allegations “very damaging and outrageous,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining independent and trustworthy data to preserve the integrity of federal statistics. He described the firing as a serious mistake with long-lasting consequences.
Erika McEntarfer, a respected economist and seasoned federal employee, has a strong background including work at the US Census Bureau under multiple administrations. Prior to her current confirmation, her nomination was supported by four former BLS commissioners and various professional organizations, including the American Statistics Association. They highlighted her extensive research and statistical expertise. Ultimately, McEntarfer was confirmed by the Senate with a substantial majority of 86 votes in favor and eight against.