White House officials defend firing of labor official as critics warn of trust erosion

Reuters ^ | August 3, 20251:21 PM CDT | Doina Chiacu and Jasper Ward

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Summary

• Trump's firing of BLS head sparks concerns over data integrity
• Critics call for Congress to investigate McEntarfer's removal
• BofA CEO calls for more reliable data
• Senator accuses Trump of weaponizing statistics agency

WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Top White House economic advisers on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's firing of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pushing back against criticism that Trump's action could undermine confidence in official U.S. economic data.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CBS that Trump had "real concerns" about the data, while Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said the president "is right to call for new leadership."

Hassett said on Fox News the main concern was Friday's BLS report of net downward revisions showing 258,000 fewer jobs had been created in May and June than previously reported.

Trump accused BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer of faking the jobs numbers, without providing any evidence of data manipulation. The BLS compiles the closely watched employment report as well as consumer and producer price data.

The BLS gave no reason for the revised data but noted "monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors."

McEntarfer responded to her abrupt dismissal on Friday in a post on the Bluesky social media platform, saying it was "the honor of her life" to serve as BLS commissioner and praising the civil servants who work there.

McEntarfer's firing added to growing concerns about the quality of U.S. economic data published by the federal government and came on the heels of a raft of new U.S. tariffs on dozens of trading partners, sending global stock markets tumbling as Trump presses ahead with plans to reorder the global economy.

"I think what we...

[Texas Eagle]

I got yer critics right here.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

LOL. After Clinton, Biden, G.W., and Obammy, they are worried about "trust erosionn"? Hahaahhahahah.

[Leaning Right]

The president needs the permission of Reuters before firing any executive branch official.

Everyone knows that.

[Right Brother]

“Critics’ ‘Experts’ ‘Sources’

[Vigilanteman]

Trust erosion?

The deep state has already done a more than ample job of that!

Clipping their wings is a necessary step to begin the long and arduous process of restoring a little trust.

[Flaming Conservative]

Was she in this position during the Biden administration when they lied about the jobs numbers every time?

[iamgalt]

Reuters -worthless trash.

[Persevero]

Ah yes. Let us speak of trust erosion.

[Texas Eagle]

The BLS compiles...

The BLS compost piles...

There. Fixed it.

[Texas Eagle]

Critics’ ‘Experts’ ‘Sources’ = Propagandists.

[Texas Eagle]

Amen, bro!

[Vigilanteman]

It is worth reminding these leftists that the last dictator of East Germany did not resist the restoration of trust. As a result, he got to fade peacefully into retirement.

The last dictator of Romania resisted said restoration. He was thus retired in front of a firing squad. Remember him?

[Texas Eagle]

Ceaucescu or something like that.

[albie]

Trust erosion my ass!

[Theoria]

ADP, a private company gets job projections wrong every month. Economics is more social, than science. Very hard to explain todays job numbers with admixture of 'gig' jobs, part time and full time.

[TalBlack]

Yeah, the demon putting out numbers that infallibly help her demonic party and then are revised later didn’t harm “trust” at all. No not at all. Don’t be silly.

[scrabblehack]

Calculating how many unique social security numbers had paid tax on them wouldn’t work?

[Spok]

Getting rid of the Deep State is going to receive a lot of resistance, as does fighting waste and fraud.

[Theoria]

BLS would need to talk to the IRS, which is probably illegal and the numbers are delayed. BLS relies on state info. Anybody relying on a state for accurate info will always be wrong. Hello Covid numbers!!