President Trump’s latest move shakes up the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On August 11, 2025, he nominated E.J. Antoni, a sharp-minded economist from the Heritage Foundation, to steer the agency toward what he calls honest data, the AP reported.
The left’s already clutching pearls over this one.
Trump announced Antoni to replace Erika McEntarfer, fired after a jobs report showed sluggish hiring. This nomination follows a July report that sparked conservative outcry over revised job numbers. It’s a bold play to fix what many see as a broken system.
Antoni, the Heritage Foundation’s chief economist, has long criticized BLS data practices. He’s pointed out flaws in job estimates, especially since COVID-19, when initial figures often overstated gains. Progressives may wince, but his scrutiny isn’t new.
Back on August 1, 2025, Trump sacked McEntarfer after a jobs report revealed downward revisions. Antoni had called for her ouster, arguing the agency’s data lacked reliability. The left’s narrative of a “booming” economy took a hit.
Trump didn’t mince words, accusing McEntarfer of rigging data for political gain. No evidence backs this claim, but conservatives like Antoni have long suspected bias in BLS reporting. The truth? Revisions happen under every administration.
“Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE,” Trump posted on social media. Sounds like a promise to drain the statistical swamp. Critics, though, are already crying foul.
Antoni’s nomination isn’t sitting well with establishment economists. Jason Furman, an Obama-era economist, called Antoni “completely unqualified” on X, whining about his conservative bent. Funny how partisanship only matters when it’s not their team.
“I don’t think I have ever publicly criticized any Presidential nominee before,” Furman added. His sudden concern for neutrality feels like progressive posturing. The BLS isn’t a sacred temple—it’s a bureaucracy ripe for reform.
Kyle Pomeleau, a tax expert, also chimed in on X, claiming other conservative economists are better suited. “There are a lot of competent conservative economists who could do this job,” he said. Yet Antoni’s track record suggests he’s no lightweight.
Antoni has been vocal about fixing the BLS. “There are better ways to collect, process, and disseminate data,” he posted on X on August 4. His focus on accuracy could shake up an agency long run by technocrats.
The BLS commissioner is the agency’s only political appointee, surrounded by career civil servants. Most past commissioners played it safe, avoiding the spotlight. Antoni, with his outspoken conservative analyses, breaks that mold.
In June, Antoni analyzed the May 2025 jobs report, noting economic weaknesses predated Trump’s return. “A deep dive into the report shows any weakness started long before the Trump administration,” he wrote. He credits Trump with pushing free-market policies.
The BLS is set to release July’s inflation data on August 12, 2025. Forecasts predict a third straight month of rising consumer prices, fueled by tariffs on imports. Antoni’s leadership could shape how this data lands.
Conservatives argue BLS revisions under Biden inflated job numbers to prop up his image. While hiring surged post-pandemic and unemployment stayed low, those downward revisions fueled distrust. Antoni’s nomination signals a push for transparency.
If the Senate confirms Antoni, he’ll face a polarized landscape. His critics call him too partisan, but the left’s hand-wringing smells like fear of accountability. Trump’s pick could finally bring clarity to a murky agency.
