President Donald Trump on Wednesday fired Dr. Erika McEntarfer, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, just days after the agency reported that the U.S. economy added only 73,000 jobs in July—well below expectations. Trump accused McEntarfer of manipulating employment data to undermine his administration and Republican candidates ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, though he provided no evidence to support the charge.
McEntarfer, a labor economist with a long career in public service, was confirmed by the Senate in 2024 by a bipartisan vote of 86–X to a four-year term. She had served just over a year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which operates under the Department of Labor, is a nonpartisan agency with a strong reputation for professional integrity.
The July jobs report also included downward revisions to previous data, subtracting a combined 259,000 jobs from the May and June estimates. Such adjustments are routine and reflect the incorporation of more complete information as it becomes available. Still, the numbers were politically damaging for the White House, which has repeatedly pointed to job growth as a sign of economic strength.
Economists and former Labor Department officials expressed alarm over McEntarfer’s dismissal, warning that the move could erode public trust in official economic indicators. “This sets a dangerous precedent,” said a former BLS commissioner who requested anonymity. “It raises the specter that future data releases will be influenced by political pressure.”
Investors also appeared rattled. Markets dipped modestly following the announcement, with analysts citing growing concerns that future commissioners might skew reports to avoid presidential disapproval.
“This kind of purge is what we see in authoritarian regimes,” said one senior economist at a major investment firm. “It undermines faith in the objectivity of government data and makes it harder for businesses to make decisions based on reliable indicators.”
The White House has not announced a replacement. Congressional Democrats called for immediate hearings, while several Republican senators privately expressed discomfort with the president’s decision but declined to comment on the record.
The Labor Department declined to comment beyond confirming McEntarfer’s termination.
