Economists who have served under both parties were quick to jump to McEntarfer’s defence, as well as the BLS as an institution. The statistical agency is often praised both in the US and abroad for its “gold standard” statistics that are free of political influence. Many now fear that status is at stake.
President Donald Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics hours after a report showed weak job growth, prompting outcries from economists and policymakers over the integrity of the data going forward.
In a social media post Friday, Trump said he directed his team to fire Erika McEntarfer — who was appointed by Joe Biden — “IMMEDIATELY.” He went on to say that “important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”
