President Donald Trump has ignited a new controversy by firing the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Erika McEntarfer, in the wake of a sharply disappointing jobs report that included massive downward revisions to earlier employment figures. The move has drawn mixed reactions, as concerns grow over the accuracy and reliability of official government labor data.
In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump alleged that the BLS, under McEntarfer’s leadership, manipulated job numbers to benefit Democratic candidates ahead of the 2024 election. Citing overstated job growth in several months last year and a sharp revision of recent figures, Trump claimed, “These were Records – No one can be that wrong.” He said the report released last Friday, which showed just 73,000 jobs added in July, was “rigged” and the final straw in what he views as a pattern of politically motivated data manipulation.
Adding fuel to the fire, the BLS revised its estimates for May and June downward by a combined 258,000 jobs—one of the largest two-month corrections on record outside of a recession. May’s originally reported gain of 144,000 jobs was slashed to just 19,000, and June’s figures were similarly cut from 147,000 to 14,000.
Trump declared that McEntarfer, a Biden appointee confirmed by a bipartisan Senate vote in early 2024, would be replaced by someone “much more competent and qualified” within days. He doubled down on his decision over the weekend, calling the published figures “ridiculous” and “a scam.”
While the firing sparked political backlash and accusations of interference in independent statistical agencies, some industry leaders expressed broader concerns about the outdated methods used to compile labor data.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan acknowledged political overtones in the firing but noted that the BLS’s heavy reliance on survey-based data has become increasingly problematic. “The rate of people who respond to their surveys is down from the 60% level to 50% level,” Moynihan said during an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation. “Frankly, [surveys] just aren’t as effective anymore.”
Moynihan suggested that the government could look to alternative data sources—like transaction-level economic activity or payroll data from financial institutions—to get a more accurate, timely read on employment trends. “The data is out there somewhere,” he said. “We report millions and millions of data points to the government every day.”
He added that strengthening the reliability of labor data will require investment and modernization. “Let’s spend some money. Let’s bring the information together. Let’s find where else in the government money is reported.”
Meanwhile, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett defended the administration’s decision, echoing concerns that BLS data had shown a “partisan pattern.” He called for a “fresh set of eyes” at the agency to restore public confidence in the integrity of employment statistics.
The debate underscores a broader issue: whether the U.S. is adequately equipped to measure and interpret a labor market that has become increasingly dynamic and digitally driven. With employment trends shifting rapidly and traditional data collection tools losing effectiveness, the calls for reform are growing louder—not just from politicians, but also from corporate America.
