Due to dissatisfaction with the latest employment data released by the U.S. Department of Labor, President Trump announced on the 1st that he has ordered the dismissal of McEntaffer, director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics under the Department of Labor.
Trump accused McEntaffer of "manipulating employment data for political purposes."
He wrote on the social media platform "Truth Social" that he had just learned that the U.S. employment data was compiled by McEntaffer, an official appointed by former President Biden.
Trump accused McEntaffer of falsifying employment data ahead of the 2024 election, attempting to help then-Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris win.
However, Trump did not provide any evidence for his accusations.
The U.S. Department of Labor released data on the 1st showing that the U.S. unemployment rate in July rose month-on-month, and the nonfarm payroll increase that month also fell short of market expectations. At the same time, the number of new nonfarm jobs for May and June was significantly revised downward compared to previously released data, indicating a clear cooling in the U.S. job market.
Trump also stated in his post that similar downward revisions occurred earlier this year, and the data is always subject to "negative adjustments."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, McEntaffer is an economist who has worked for the federal government for over 20 years and has held positions at the U.S. Census Bureau, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Treasury Department. Biden nominated her as BLS Director in July 2023, and the Senate confirmed her appointment in January 2024.
It is understood that the Bureau of Labor Statistics routinely revises economic data. Due to the vast size of the U.S. economy and response rate issues when collecting these data through surveys, there is often a lag in data collection, but this lag does not imply any misconduct or data manipulation.