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By Jesus Mesa
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President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has suggested halting the agency's monthly jobs report, arguing its data is flawed and often overstates employment gains.
E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said in a Tuesday morning appearance on Fox News Digital that the report's methodology, modeling and statistical assumptions are unreliable and frequently overstated.
"How on earth are businesses supposed to plan – or how is the Fed supposed to conduct monetary policy – when they don't know how many jobs are being added or lost in our economy? It's a serious problem that needs to be fixed immediately," Antoni said.
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Why It Matters
Trump announced Antoni's nomination on Truth Social, praising him as someone who will ensure economic numbers are "HONEST and ACCURATE." The appointment comes just 10 days after Trump fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, hours after the agency released a report showing a weaker-than-expected 73,000 jobs added in July and a large downward revision of 258,000 jobs from May and June.
In a post, Trump accused McEntarfer—without offering evidence—of rigging the numbers to harm his administration.
What To Know
The monthly jobs report is one of the most influential pieces of U.S. economic data, shaping decisions by Wall Street traders, Federal Reserve policymakers and corporate leaders.
"Major decision-makers from Wall Street to D.C. rely on these numbers, and a lack of confidence in the data has far-reaching consequences," Antoni said.
While he does not believe the data was intentionally manipulated, Antoni said persistent flaws, including a survey response rate now below 50 percent, have gone uncorrected.
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"The fact that you consistently have large downward revisions means there are other things wrong with your models and methodologies," he said. "Statistical assumptions that may have worked fine before COVID no longer work in today's economy and therefore need to be revised."
Critics from across the political spectrum have raised concerns about Antoni's nomination. Harvard economist Jason Furman, who led the Council of Economic Advisers under former President Barack Obama, wrote on X that Antoni is "completely unqualified" and "an extreme partisan" lacking relevant expertise.
Jessica Riedl of the conservative Manhattan Institute said his published work is "probably the most error-filled of any think tank economist right now."
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett defended the hire, telling NBC's Meet the Press that "the president wants his own people there so that when we see the numbers they're more transparent and more reliable."
May's job growth was cut to 19,000 from an initial estimate of 139,000—a drop of 120,000 jobs. June's total was revised to 14,000 from 147,000, a decrease of 133,000 jobs.
The BLS, which has tracked monthly revisions since 1979, introduced a probability-based sampling method in 2003. Average monthly revisions were 61,000 jobs before the change and 51,000 jobs since.
What People Are Saying
Antoni, in his interview with Fox News Digital: "The problems in the BLS data have been evident for three years now, and they still haven't been fixed."
Joe Brusuelas, RSM US chief economist, told Axios: "That would a serious mistake in my estimation. It would only fuel critiques of a politicization of job market data and likely result in volatility across asset classes."
What Happens Next
Antoni's nomination will require Senate confirmation before he can officially assume the BLS commissioner's role.
Update 8/12/25, 2:50 p.m. ET: This article was updated to clarify that the interview with E.J. Antoni was conducted by Fox News Digital.
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