Trump's chosen head for the labor statistics agency may potentially put a hold on the monthly jobs update due to worries about data reliability
Trump-Nominated Economist Criticizes Monthly Jobs Report
E.J. Antoni, the economist nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), has raised concerns about the reliability of the monthly jobs report, citing persistent flaws in the BLS's methodology and data.
In an interview with Fox News Digital on August 4, 2025, Antoni argued that the data behind the monthly jobs report is unreliable and frequently overstated, potentially misleading key economic decision-makers from Washington to Wall Street. He suggested that the inaccuracies in the report could impact planning and monetary policy decisions.
Antoni also criticized the underlying methodology and economic modeling used by the BLS, arguing that the statistical assumptions that were valid before the COVID-19 pandemic no longer hold true in today's economy. He believes these assumptions need to be revised to ensure accurate employment data.
The economist further highlighted the consistent large downward revisions in employment figures as evidence of deeper flaws in the BLS's models and methodologies. These revisions suggest that the initial reports often overestimate job growth, leading to inaccurate conclusions about economic performance.
Antoni's concerns come after President Trump's dismissal of the agency's former commissioner, Erika McEntarfer. McEntarfer's removal was met with an unusually large correction that drew sharp criticism from the President. The correction revealed that job growth had been significantly overstated, with revisions of 258,000 jobs for May and June.
Antoni must face Senate confirmation before ascending to the top spot at the BLS. His appointment follows his role as the chief economist at The Heritage Foundation, where he has been endorsed as a "stellar choice" to lead the BLS by its president, Kevin Roberts.
President Trump has also expressed his dissatisfaction with the current jobs numbers, criticizing them as being "RIGGED" in an Aug. 1 Truth Social post. Antoni's nomination and criticism of the BLS's methodology could mark a significant shift in the way employment data is collected and reported.
However, Antoni clarified that he does not believe the jobs data was intentionally manipulated but rather that persistent flaws in the BLS's methodology have gone unaddressed. He suggested keeping the more accurate, though less timely, quarterly data instead of the monthly jobs report.
As Antoni awaits Senate confirmation, his criticisms and proposed solutions for the BLS's data collection and reporting methods will be closely watched by economists, policymakers, and the general public.
[1] Fox News Digital, August 4, 2025. "Trump's BLS Nominee E.J. Antoni Criticizes Monthly Jobs Report." Accessed August 5, 2025. https://www.foxnewsdigital.com/politics/trumps-bls-nominee-ej-antoni-criticizes-monthly-jobs-report
- The Trump-nominated economist, E.J. Antoni, has criticized the monthly jobs report, stating that data inaccuracies could impact economic decision-makers, including policy-and-legislation and finance within politics and business.
- In his proposals, Antoni suggests revising the statistical assumptions used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), stating that these no longer hold true in today's economy, and advocates for keeping more accurate, quarterly data instead of the monthly jobs report.
- Antoni's criticisms and proposed solutions for the BLS's data collection and reporting methods have drawn attention from economists, policymakers, and the general public, with implications for the overall economy and finance sectors.
