Last month, when U.S. economic data revealed a significant slowdown in job growth, President Trump responded by dismissing the official in charge of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (B.L.S.), sparking widespread concern over political influence on federal statistics. Erika McEntarfer, the former commissioner, has now spoken publicly for the first time since her removal, cautioning that undermining the independence of economic data collection could have far-reaching consequences for markets and public trust. n nDelivering a speech at Bard College, her undergraduate alma mater, McEntarfer avoided directly criticizing the administration but underscored the importance of nonpartisan data integrity. She emphasized that reliable labor market figures, inflation trends, and national economic performance metrics are essential for informed decision-making by businesses, investors, and government leaders. n nThe controversy stems from a revised report indicating approximately 250,000 fewer jobs were created during the summer than initially projected. The president claimed—without providing evidence—that the adjustment was politically motivated to damage his standing. In response, he terminated McEntarfer’s position, a move met with bipartisan criticism and alarm among economists. n nMcEntarfer highlighted ongoing challenges within the B.L.S., including chronic underfunding and staffing shortages, which she said make accurate data collection increasingly difficult. She warned that removing statistical leaders over unfavorable reports risks aligning the United States with nations known for distorting economic indicators, a path that often erodes investor confidence and destabilizes financial systems. n n“Data credibility is foundational,” she stated. “When official statistics are perceived as tools for political messaging rather than objective measurement, the consequences extend well beyond headlines—they affect real-world economic behavior.” n
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Fired by Trump, a Former Labor Official Warns Against Politicizing Economic Data
When the federal government revealed last month a sharp contraction in the nation’s hiring, President Trump attacked the report and abruptly fired the longtime civil servant responsible for overseeing the data. n nOn Tuesday, Erika McEntarfer, the former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, offered her first major public comments on her ouster. She warned about the rising risk of political interference in the government’s work to measure the economy, stressing that it could harm consumers and businesses. n n“Economic data must be free from partisan influence,” she said. n nMs. McEntarfer voiced her fears during a speech at Bard College in New York, her alma mater, more than one month after Mr. Trump dismissed her over his widely condemned claims that federal hiring data had been “rigged.” The report that month showed the economy had added about 250,000 fewer jobs this summer than the government first estimated, a revision that the president claimed — without evidence — had been manipulated to hurt him politically. n nMs. McEntarfer on Tuesday steered clear of addressing Mr. Trump directly, saying at one point she generally did not want to “speculate on what the plan is or the intentions of the administration are.” n nBut she repeatedly emphasized the risk in allowing politics to infect the work of B.L.S., whose reports inform policymakers, investors, businesses and others that require dependable economic data to make decisions. And she called attention to what she described as steep and persistent shortfalls in the agency’s staff and budget. Those gaps, she said, further complicated Washington’s task to reliably track the labor market, the ebb and flow of prices, and the nation’s overall growth. n n“Markets have to trust the data are not manipulated,” Ms. McEntarfer added. “Firing your chief statisticians for releasing data you do not like, it has serious economic consequences. The list of countries that have gone down this route, it’s not a good list.” n nThank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. n nThank you for your patience while we verify access. n nAlready a subscriber? Log in. n nWant all of The Times? Subscribe.