Trump Fires Data Chief on Bad Job News, Gets Chance to Tilt Fed

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-02/trump-fires-data-chief-on-bad-job-news-gets-chance-to-tilt-fed?utm_source=website&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=copy

President Donald Trump on Friday fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, hours after the agency reported that job growth in the U.S. had slowed to a near-halt.

“We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

The stunning move came the same day that the BLS reported a gain of just 73,000 nonfarm jobs in July, below market expectations.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon called President Donald Trump’s firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer “the act of somebody who is soft, weak and afraid to own up to the reality of the damage his chaos is inflicting on our economy.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York called Trump a “bad leader” who “shoots the messenger” for a weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report.

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a post on X that BLS Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski will serve as Acting Commissioner” of the BLS until a permanent replacement is installed.