Trump plans to appoint a veteran critic of the Bureau of Labor Statistics as the agency's new leader
In a move that has sparked controversy and raised concerns among economists and former commissioners, President Donald Trump has nominated E.J. Antoni as the new Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
E.J. Antoni, a conservative economist and the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, has been nominated following Trump's abrupt firing of the previous BLS commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, after a weaker-than-expected July jobs report and significant downward revisions to prior months' job growth data.
Antoni's background primarily involves his work at the Heritage Foundation, including contributions to their Project 2025, a far-right blueprint aiming to restructure government institutions. His expertise appears to focus on conservative economic policy and critique of statistical methodologies used by the BLS. He has publicly criticized the BLS’s methodologies, highlighting issues such as a declining survey response rate and the need to revise statistical assumptions that, in his view, no longer suit the post-COVID economy. Despite these criticisms, Antoni does not endorse the claim that BLS data were intentionally manipulated but argues that methodological flaws have persisted and must be fixed.
The reception of Antoni’s nomination among economists and former BLS commissioners has been generally skeptical or critical, especially given the abrupt firing of his predecessor and the political context. Former commissioners and many economists have expressed concern that his nomination reflects politicization of the bureau, which is tasked with producing unbiased labor market data. The sudden dismissal of a Senate-confirmed commissioner following routine statistical revisions—common in economic data reporting—and Antoni’s alignment with a partisan think tank have raised alarms about the independence and credibility of the BLS under his potential leadership.
It is worth noting that the BLS routinely revises economic data, but these revisions do not imply any wrongdoing or manipulation. The accuracy of the data that BLS produces is "built on a foundation of trust," as stated by JPMorgan's chief U.S. economist.
The nomination of E.J. Antoni remains a contentious issue, with critics such as Jason Furman, who served as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in the White House under President Barack Obama, stating that Antoni is "completely unqualified to be BLS commissioner."
As the confirmation process unfolds, the future of the BLS and the integrity of its data remain a topic of intense debate and concern.
- The nomination of E.J. Antoni as the new Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has sparked debates in the general-news, finance, and business sectors due to concerns about his alleged politicization of the bureau, potentially affecting the credibility and unbiasedness of its labor market data.
- Economists and former commissioners have raised their concerns about the nomination of E.J. Antoni for the Commissioner position at the BLS, speculating that his alignment with a partisan think tank and the abrupt dismissal of a Senate-confirmed commissioner could have adverse effects on the markets, especially during a time of economic recovery, such as post-COVID.
- The potential impact of the nomination of E.J. Antoni as the new Commissioner of the BLS extends beyond the political sphere, influencing the inflation rates and economic policies, as perceived statistical methodology critiques and the prospect of changes at the bureau may have profound consequences for various market segments and government regulations.
