President Donald Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Friday, August 2, 2025, following the release of disappointing July employment data that showed the economy added only 73,000 jobs, far below economists’ expectations of 110,000. The firing has sparked widespread condemnation from former commissioners, economic groups, and members of both political parties.
Trump accused McEntarfer without evidence of manipulating employment statistics to benefit former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election campaign. Writing on Truth Social on Friday, Trump claimed McEntarfer had “faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election” and alleged the recent data was “rigged” to make Republicans look bad. On Sunday, Trump escalated his allegations, claiming McEntarfer had inflated job numbers to “an all time high” before the presidential election and calling her work “the biggest miscalculations in over 50 years.”
The July jobs report also included significant downward revisions to previous months’ data. May’s job gains were reduced by 125,000 to just 19,000 positions, while June figures were revised down by 133,000 to only 14,000 jobs added. Combined with July’s weak performance, the revisions painted a picture of a slowing labor market and broader economic concerns.
McEntarfer, who had served as BLS commissioner for a year and a half, was confirmed to her position in January 2024 on a bipartisan Senate vote of 86-8. Notable Republican supporters of her confirmation included then-Senator JD Vance of Ohio, now Trump’s Vice President, and then-Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, currently serving as Trump’s Secretary of State.
The firing has drawn sharp criticism from Trump’s former appointees and current Republican lawmakers. William Beach, who served as BLS commissioner during Trump’s first term from 2019 to 2023, called McEntarfer’s dismissal “totally groundless” and warned it “sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the Bureau.” Beach emphasized that commissioners do not collect the data themselves and only see the numbers on Wednesday before their Friday publication.
Several Republican senators criticized the decision. Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis described the firing as “kind of impetuous” if McEntarfer was dismissed simply because Trump disliked accurate numbers. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis stated administration officials should “grow up” if McEntarfer was fired merely for unfavorable data. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul questioned the effectiveness of firing statisticians to improve economic numbers, noting that such actions make it “much harder to make judgments that the statistics won’t be politicized.”
Professional organizations and former officials have rallied to McEntarfer’s defense. Friends of BLS, a group chaired by former commissioners from both Democratic and Republican administrations, called on Congress to investigate the firing and ensure the nonpartisan integrity of the position. The Association of Public Data Users, National Association for Business Economics, and American Economic Association also condemned the dismissal, emphasizing that disliking data is not a legal reason for removal under a four-year appointment.
Former colleagues praised McEntarfer’s professional conduct and expertise. Sarah Glynn, a former Labor Department chief economist, described McEntarfer as having “a sterling reputation as someone who is concerned about the accuracy of the data and not someone who puts a political spin on her work.” Heather Boushey, who served with McEntarfer on the White House Council of Economic Advisers, emphasized that McEntarfer never engaged in political discussions and focused solely on accurate analysis.
McEntarfer holds a doctorate in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and previously worked at the Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies, Treasury Department’s Office of Tax Policy, and White House Council of Economic Advisers in nonpolitical roles. Her research focused on job loss, retirement, worker mobility, and wage rigidity.
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett defended Trump’s decision on Sunday, claiming widespread resistance to Trump throughout the government and calling for “fresh set of eyes at the BLS.” However, critics argue the firing undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that serve as cornerstones for business, family, and policy decisions.
The controversy highlights tensions between political leadership and independent statistical agencies. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers described the firing as characteristic of “democracies giving way to authoritarianism,” comparing it unfavorably to actions during the Nixon administration. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders called it “the sign of an authoritarian type” that would damage public trust in government information.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/aug/04/trump-firing-labor-statistics-chief-reactions
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/03/trump-labor-statistics-chief-fired-unemployment-00490988
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/trump-calls-fired-bls-commissioners-job-numbers-biggest-miscalculations-over-50-years
https://fortune.com/2025/08/03/erika-mcentarfer-bureau-labor-statistics-jobs-report-trump-jd-vance-marco-rubio
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/02/republicans-trump-bureau-of-labor-statistics-commissioner
