President Trump announced that he has directed the firing of Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following the release of a disappointing July jobs report. The report revealed a significant slowdown in hiring, with only 73,000 jobs added in July—well below economists’ expectations and a clear drop from the previous month. Adding to the sense of alarm, there was also a steep downward revision to the jobs numbers for May and June, effectively reducing those earlier reported gains by 258,000 jobs.

On social media, President Trump characterized the jobs numbers as a shock and stated, “No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers.” He criticized McEntarfer, labeling her as a political appointee from the previous administration and asserted that the data “can’t be manipulated for political purposes.” According to Trump, the BLS will be led by a new appointee who, he claims, will be “much more competent and qualified.”

Job growth throughout most of the year had been resilient, but July’s report now marks a clear departure, with employment growth stalling and the labor market signaling increasing caution among employers. The lower revised numbers from previous months further reinforce concerns about the strength of the current economic recovery. Despite these disappointing labor figures, broader economic metrics like GDP have remained more robust, and inflation, while rising recently, stays below previous peaks.

This move from the White House underscores the administration’s frustration with current labor market assessments, as well as its determination to overhaul leadership at key statistical agencies amid economic uncertainty. The removal of the BLS commissioner is drawing significant attention and may have lasting implications for the reporting of future jobs numbers and the perceived independence of federal statistical agencies.