According to PANews, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Labor Statistics Bureau Director Erica McInturf of artificially inflating employment data ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. In a social media post on August 1, Trump called for McInturf's immediate dismissal and replacement with a more capable candidate.
Trump alleged that the bureau significantly overestimated new job positions in March 2024 and in the months leading up to the election, suggesting that this was intended to boost Vice President Harris's chances of winning. He also criticized the Federal Reserve for lowering interest rates before the election, claiming it was an attempt to manipulate the market, and hinted at replacing Chairman Powell.
On the same day, U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced that William Wiatrowski, Deputy Director of the Labor Statistics Bureau, would serve as acting director, succeeding Erica McInturf.