U.S. President Donald Trump has tapped economist E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) just 10 days after abruptly firing the agency’s previous leader over unsubstantiated claims of data manipulation.
The BLS, a division of the Labor Department, publishes key reports on jobs and inflation that are closely followed by policymakers, investors, and markets worldwide. These figures, including the monthly nonfarm payrolls report and Consumer Price Index, often move stock, bond, and currency markets in real time.
Announcing the nomination on Truth Social, Trump said: “Our economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the numbers released are honest and accurate.”
Antoni has long criticized the BLS, accusing the Biden administration of misrepresenting labor statistics. In a 2023 New York Post op-ed, he claimed the “Biden-Harris Labor Department seems to exist in the land of make-believe” — remarks made after a significant downward revision to U.S. employment figures for April 2023–March 2024.
The nomination has drawn sharp reactions. Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US, warned it could drive more reliance on private-sector data. Alex Jacquez of the Groundwork Collaborative called Antoni a “sycophant” and said the move “is a clear assault on independent analysis” that could undermine confidence in U.S. economic data.
Antoni’s appointment requires Senate confirmation. If approved, he will lead an agency already under scrutiny over declining data quality, low survey response rates, and growing use of price estimates instead of direct collection in certain CPI categories.
Trump removed former BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer on August 1, hours after the agency reported weaker-than-expected July job growth and downward revisions to May and June figures. McEntarfer, a Biden appointee, was accused by Trump — without evidence — of manipulating the data for political purposes.
Antoni, who holds a doctorate in economics, has worked at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and taught labor economics, money, and banking. While some note his economic credentials, others question his understanding of BLS methodology. “Some of the data that will be forthcoming will not be to President Trump’s liking — it will be interesting how he would explain that and how the president would react,” said Sung Won Sohn, professor of finance and economics at Loyola Marymount University.
The BLS’s monthly jobs report includes employment levels, job creation, wages, and working hours, with figures revised twice before an annual benchmark review. Inflation reports, such as CPI and PPI, guide Federal Reserve policy and influence Social Security cost-of-living adjustments.
Years of underfunding and staffing cuts — under both Republican and Democratic administrations — have strained the BLS’s data collection. Former commissioner Erica Groshen warned that reduced staffing could lead to missed deadlines and undetected biases in critical economic reports.
