President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the dismissal of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer following a disappointing jobs report that showed only 73,000 jobs added in July.
Trump announced the decision on Truth Social, alleging McEntarfer was a “Biden appointee” who “faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala’s chances of Victory.”
“We need accurate Jobs Numbers,” Trump wrote. “They can’t be manipulated for political purposes.” An administration official confirmed McEntarfer had been fired.
McEntarfer, who was nominated by President Biden and confirmed in January 2024 with bipartisan Senate support, has worked across various federal agencies over the past two decades. The BLS said May and June job numbers were revised down by over 200,000.
It’s unclear who will lead the agency next. Trump also criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying he “should also be put ‘out to pasture.’” McEntarfer has not publicly responded.