Alt U.S. Department of Labor

Opinion | First thing we do, let’s fire all the statisticians The Trump administration’s strategy in dealing with tough numbers: Don’t count them.

There’s more than one way to cook the books. You can doctor or delete data after it’s been collected. Alternatively, you can ensure numbers are never collected in the first place.
Lately, Trump admin has been into leaning into that second scheme, by purging and defunding statistics agencies

CARTOON OF THE DAY

(From @dccartoonist.bsky.social )

August 1, 2025 AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION Committee on Economic Statistics and Committee on Government Relations Statement from the American Economic Association on the Dismissal of the BLS Commissioner Leaders of the American Economic Association express their grave concern over the dismissal of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) earlier today. The independence of the federal statistical agencies is essential to the proper functioning of a modern economy. Accurate, timely, and impartial statistics are the foundation upon which households, businesses, and policymakers make critical decisions. Undermining the independence or credibility of these agencies threatens the integrity of the information that markets, institutions, and the public rely on every day. Measuring the vast and dynamic U.S. economy in real time is inherently challenging. It is standard practice for statistical estimates to be revised as more complete and higher-quality data become available. These revisions reflect the commitment of statistical agencies to accuracy, transparency, and methodological rigor-not failure or bias. The BLS has long had a well-deserved reputation for professional excellence and nonpartisan integrity. Safeguarding this tradition is vital for the continued health of the U.S. economy and public trust in our institutions. We call upon elected officials to respect and preserve the independence of the nation's statistical infrastructure. Lawrence Katz President, American Economic Association Katharine Abraham President-Elect, American Economic Association Karen Dynan Chair, American Economic Association Committee on Economic Statistics Kenneth Troske Chair, American Economic Association Committee on Government Relations

Statement from the largest economics association about the BLS firing

As context: AEA approximately never makes such public statements

This is a big deal

Statement from the #StopDOLCuts coalition on Trump’s firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

NBC article: "'Absolute betrayal': Former Labor Department officials react to Trump's firing of labor statistics boss. Laura Strickler and Nnamdi Egwuonwu Two former Department of Labor officials condemned Trump's decision to fire Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer following the release of a revised jobs reportg today that suggested a slow down in hiring. Trump accused McEntarfer, without evidence, of manipulating the hiring data to make him look bad. Former Biden Labor Secretary Julie Su told NBC News that McEntarfer's termination suggests Trump "hates facts." "Donald Trump hates facts, so he blames truth tellers. But he can’t hide from the terrible damage that his chaotic and ego driven mess of an economic agenda is causing," Su said. “This president does not believe in independent agencies. He believes that everybody should do his bidding, and that, you know, facts don’t matter, and people who do their jobs, can be mistreated at every turn," she added, noting that reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics are typically prepared by "expert career staff," she added. Former Labor Department spokesperson Egan Reich, who also worked in the Biden administration, called the firing "an absolute betrayal of every single person at BLS, now and throughout its existence, whose integrity" and forthrightness created the kind of stable business environment that earned a lot of people tremendous amounts of money.”

"Donald Trump hates facts, so he blames truth tellers. But he can’t hide from the terrible damage that his chaotic and ego driven mess of an economic agenda is causing." - @juliesulabor.bsky.social

www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/liv...

'DOGE lied': Expert floored as blistering report finds Musk team blew billions The Department of Government Efficiency wasn't so efficient after all. In fact, was extraordinarily wasteful, according to a Thursday report by the U.S. Senate's investigations subcommittee.When Elon ...

A Senate report reveals Elon Musk’s DOGE agency burned through $21B in six months. Cost-cutting moves like mass layoffs and axing programs like CFPB and USAID backfired—causing major losses and harsh humanitarian fallout.
www.rawstory.com/doge-2673797...

Thank you! 💪

We stand with you, Commissioner, and we are thankful for your leadership. This fight isn't over.

Trump, Claiming Weak Jobs Numbers Were ‘Rigged,’ Fires Labor Official

For months, people have been asking me whether I still trusted gov’t data. My answer was always the same: The stats agencies faced longstanding challenges, some of which Trump was making worse. But there was no sign of political meddling.
I can’t say that anymore.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/b...

It has been the honor of my life to serve as Commissioner of BLS alongside the many dedicated civil servants tasked with measuring a vast and dynamic economy. It is vital and important work and I thank them for their service to this nation.

For six months, I've said that threats to economic data have been more collateral damage than intentional harm.

No longer.

Firing the head of the BLS is five-alarm intentional harm to the integrity of US economic data and the entire statistical system.

What to make of POTUS's attempt to fire the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?

Let's run down what knowledgable people are saying...

We'll stay on top of it, we promise.

BLS is actually part of the Labor Department, even though they have a great degree of independence.

You can read the full statement here: www.friendsofbls.org/updates/2025...

And sorry JD, but we don't all have a grandma who can watch the kids for "free." Fuck these assholes who claim family values but do everything in their power to make life harder for working families.

Important 🧵

This is happening across the country. Not having child care assistance is a nightmare for working parents (especially mothers)... and we're talking about people who want and need to be in the workforce. Some have no choice but to drop out or take lower paying part-time jobs.

Statement from the National Association for Business Economics

"The National Association for Business Economics (NABE) strongly condemns the baseless removal of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer and the unfounded accusations leveled against the work of the agency."

We apologize for the lack of alt text because we pulled this from elsewhere, but thought you should know that the Friends of BLS have issued a statement calling on Congress to reinstate Commissioner Erika McEntarfer and protect the bureau's integrity. ✊

If you have any questions about how to help, I’m holding an impromptu #AMA right now.
#altfam #altgov

I was just informed that our Country’s “Jobs Numbers” are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala’s chances of Victory. This is the same Bureau of Labor Statistics that overstated the Jobs Growth in March 2024 by approximately 818,000 and, then again, right before the 2024 Presidential Election, in August and September, by 112,000. These were Records — No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes. McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months. Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative. The Economy is BOOMING under “TRUMP” despite a Fed that also plays games, this time with Interest Rates, where they lowered them twice, and substantially, just before the Presidential Election, I assume in the hopes of getting “Kamala” elected – How did that work out? Jerome “Too Late” Powell should also be put “out to pasture.” Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Unquestionably the most dangerous and corrupt attack on the independence of US economic data in American history. Trump is firing the head of the BLS, a longtime civil servant confirmed 86-8 by the Senate, simply because the job numbers came in below his expectations today

News article titled "Trump orders firing of BLS commissioner, after large summer revision" by Andrew Ackerman. It reports that President Donald Trump ordered the firing of Erika McEntarfer, head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, after the agency released major downward revisions to May and June jobs data. Trump announced the decision on social media, stating she would be replaced with someone "much more competent and qualified." The revisions removed 258,000 jobs from earlier counts, marking the largest two-month downward adjustment since the pandemic.

Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor statisti s. This is the end of being able to trust the data from the federal government on employment, GDP, or any other critical information. They will only want to produce information that pleases Trump, not the truth. This is how you get a failed state.

ECONOMY Trump fires labor statistics boss hours after weak jobs report. The president implied that the BLS commissioner, long-time federal employee Erika McEntarfer, manipulated the data "for political purposes."

If you don’t like the truth, fire the truth teller. Got it.

#rewritinghistory

Erika McEntarfer was confirmed in January 2024 as BLS commissioner by a vote of 86-6 by the Senate, including 38 Republican votes in favor. Republicans who voted to confirm her include JD Vance and John Thune.

Before they remove her page, here is Dr. Erika McEntarfer's BLS bio page. She's a 20-year career official PhD labor economist.

Trump fires labor statistics boss hours after the release of weak jobs report The president implied that the BLS commissioner, longtime federal employee Erika McEntarfer, manipulated the data "for political purposes."

More from NBC 👇

🚩 The BLS commissioner has been removed without any shred of evidence simply because Trump didn't like the jobs numbers. This is unprecedented.

It's also a slap in the face to all of the dedicated feds who work across administrations to produce accurate data without political interference.

a person with long blonde hair and an orange hat stands in the woods Alt: a person with long blonde hair and an orange hat stands in the woods, and turns toward the camera with his thumbs up. The text reads "You win, gold star"

More 4D chess?? Clearly part of the plan 😆