Trump fires BLS chief after weak jobs data sparks market drop

President Donald Trump has directed the removal of Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following the release of a July jobs report that showed only 73,000 jobs added—far below expectations [1]. The report also revised May and June job growth figures downward by a combined 258,000 positions, indicating a weaker labor market than previously reported [5]. Trump accused McEntarfer of manipulating the data to damage his administration’s economic narrative and weaken his chances of re-election [4].

Trump took to his social media platform to denounce the numbers as “rigged,” claiming the data was fabricated to make Republicans—and himself—appear ineffective [4]. He referenced a prior revision of 818,000 jobs in August 2024 as further evidence of a coordinated effort to undermine his leadership [5]. In a statement, Trump vowed to replace McEntarfer with someone “much more competent and qualified,” emphasizing that economic data must be “fair, accurate, and never manipulated for political purposes” [1].

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed the firing and announced that Bill Wiatrowski, a long-time BLS official with deep ties to the Obama administration, would serve as acting commissioner [2]. The agency will begin a search for a permanent replacement immediately. McEntarfer, appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by a bipartisan vote in January 2024, had previously worked in the Treasury Department, the White House Council of Economic Advisers, and the Census Bureau [1].

The BLS, a nonpartisan agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, maintains that data revisions are standard due to delayed survey responses and methodological updates. However, Trump has repeatedly rejected such explanations and has criticized BLS officials for favoring political opponents [5]. His actions raise concerns about the potential politicization of economic data, which is critical for both public policy and private investment decisions [7].

The announcement came amid a sharp market reaction. The U.S. stock market lost $1.11 trillion in value following the release of the jobs report [2]. Analysts linked the decline to both the weak economic data and the uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. Trump has also renewed his attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, calling for aggressive rate cuts and labeling Powell “Too Late Powell” [5].

The removal of McEntarfer marks a significant and controversial move against a historically neutral agency. The decision challenges the conventional understanding of the BLS as an impartial data collector and raises questions about the future of labor market reporting [8]. No official explanation for the firing was provided beyond the jobs report figures, and Trump did not present evidence to support his allegations of data manipulation [3].

This incident underscores the critical role of transparency and impartiality in economic data. As the administration moves forward, the independence of the BLS will remain a focal point for both political observers and financial markets [10].

---

Sources:

[1] NBC, [https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-orders-firing-bls-commissioner-weak-jobs-report-rcna222531](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-orders-firing-bls-commissioner-weak-jobs-report-rcna222531)

[2] CNBC, [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/trump-erika-mcentarfer-jobs-report-fired.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/trump-erika-mcentarfer-jobs-report-fired.html)

[3] The, [https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07/31/business/tariffs-trump-trade/trump-bls-firing-jobs-report](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07/31/business/tariffs-trump-trade/trump-bls-firing-jobs-report)

[4] The, [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5430914-live-updates-jobs-economy-trump-tariffs/](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5430914-live-updates-jobs-economy-trump-tariffs/)

[5] USA, [https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/08/01/jobs-report-trump-firing-bureau-labor-statistics-head/85479720007/](https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/08/01/jobs-report-trump-firing-bureau-labor-statistics-head/85479720007/)

[7] Reuters, [https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trump-orders-firing-bls-commissioner-after-dismal-employment-report-2025-08-01/](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trump-orders-firing-bls-commissioner-after-dismal-employment-report-2025-08-01/)

[8] NewsNation, [https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/job-numbers-change-revisions/](https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/job-numbers-change-revisions/)

[10] The, [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/aug/01/donald-trump-trade-tariffs-latest-us-politics-live-news-updates](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/aug/01/donald-trump-trade-tariffs-latest-us-politics-live-news-updates)