August 1, 2025 — White House senior economist Stephen Miran has called for a “new perspective” on how U.S. employment data is assessed, following the release of a disappointing July jobs report. However, he notably distanced himself from President Donald Trump’s unproven claims of political interference in the numbers.
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that only 73,000 jobs were added in July—well below expectations. In addition, the BLS issued major downward revisions to prior data, subtracting 258,000 jobs from May and June’s original estimates. This revision ranks as the second-largest two-month downward adjustment ever recorded, trailing only the corrections seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response, President Trump alleged the report was “manipulated” to harm his image and the Republican Party, comparing it to his long-standing claims about the 2024 election. Acting swiftly, he dismissed BLS Director Erika McEntarfer, replacing her with Deputy Director William Wiatrowski.
Despite Trump's sharp rhetoric, economist Miran refrained from supporting the accusation of manipulation. Instead, he emphasized the need to re-evaluate how employment trends are captured and communicated, particularly during periods of economic volatility.
The developments have raised questions about the independence of federal statistical agencies, just as markets grow increasingly sensitive to signs of economic weakness. With job data under scrutiny and the Federal Reserve weighing its next move, the credibility of U.S. economic reporting is suddenly in the spotlight.