WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump vowed Monday to appoint an “exceptional replacement” for the nation’s top labor statistician, just days after dismissing Erika McEntarfer following a jobs report that showed signs of economic weakness.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, alleged—without providing evidence—that Friday’s employment figures had been “rigged” to undermine his administration. He accused McEntarfer, commissioner of labour statistics, of manipulating data to favour his predecessor, Joe Biden, particularly before the 2024 election.
“This is ridiculous,” Trump told reporters Sunday. “We had no confidence in the numbers.” He added that McEntarfer’s removal came hours after the data was released. “I will pick an exceptional replacement,” he said Monday, promising an announcement within days.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the US added only 73,000 jobs in July, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.2 percent. Even more concerning were sharp downward revisions to earlier months: May’s job gains were cut from 144,000 to just 19,000, and June’s from 147,000 to 14,000—marking the weakest labor performance since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Trump’s White House economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, acknowledged signs of a slowdown but defended the
administration’s broader economic strategy. “Yes, the labour market is cooling,” he told CNBC, but insisted that it did not yet reflect the full impact of Trump’s recently signed tax and spending legislation.
Hassett also defended McEntarfer’s removal, telling NBC News the president “wants his own people there, so that when we see the numbers, they are more transparent and reliable.”
The firing sparked backlash from economists and former officials. William Beach, who previously held McEntarfer’s position, warned the move sets a “dangerous precedent.” The National Association for Business Economics condemned the dismissal, arguing that large data revisions were not evidence of bias but rather reflected years of underfunding at statistical agencies.
McEntarfer, a respected labour economist, was confirmed as commissioner in January 2024.
Trump is also expected to name a successor to Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler, who announced her early resignation effective this Friday. The vacancy gives Trump an opportunity to further shape the independent central bank, which he has repeatedly pressured to lower interest rates. – AFP
