Economist E.J. Antoni, the man President Donald Trump nominated as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, might — at least temporarily — shelve one of the Bureau's regular jobs reports.
Antoni reportedly commented that issues with accurate reporting have created uncertainties among business and government leaders.
Trump nominated Antoni in the wake of his firing former BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. Trump attributed a dismal jobs report, followed by downward revisions of earlier jobs reports, to purposeful and politically motivated manipulation.
Antoni told Fox News Digital: "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." He suggested continuing to report quarterly jobs data while the methodology used to calculate the monthly report was fixed.
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett last week supported claims that the jobs report numbers needed to be accurate. He also agreed that some people who remained in leadership positions in the Trump administration were political operatives and holdovers from the administration of former President Joe Biden. Hassett said that Trump plans to place "his own people" in the BLS, "so that when we see the jobs numbers, they are more transparent and more reliable."
Trump posted on Monday that he believed Antoni was the right person for the job. "Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE. I know E.J. Antoni will do an incredible job in this new role."
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to clarify that the interview with E.J. Antoni was conducted by Fox News Digital on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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