US President Donald Trump has nominated conservative economist EJ Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following the abrupt dismissal of its previous head after disappointing jobs data.
Antoni, currently a federal budget analyst at the Heritage Foundation, will need Senate confirmation for the role. Trump, announcing the pick on Truth Social, said, “Our economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the numbers released are honest and accurate.”
Earlier this month, Trump fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, accusing her of “rigging” jobs figures to damage him politically, a claim widely rejected by economists across the political spectrum. McEntarfer, a veteran government official with more than 20 years of service, was appointed by President Biden in 2023.
Antoni, who holds a PhD in economics, has previously criticised the BLS’s methods, describing its statistics as “phony baloney” and suggesting last year on X that the Department of Government Efficiency should “take a chainsaw” to the agency. He has the backing of influential Trump ally Steve Bannon, who has called him the “perfect guy” for the job.
The BLS is currently led by Acting Commissioner William Watrowski, a long-time agency official. McEntarfer’s removal came after July’s employment data missed expectations and revisions to the previous two months showed the largest downward adjustment since 1979 outside the Covid-19 period.
While such revisions are a standard part of the agency’s process, the unusually large changes, combined with Trump’s accusations, have raised concerns about political interference in economic reporting. William Beach, who led the BLS during Trump’s first term, warned the move sets a “dangerous precedent.”
Antoni has also served as an economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and has taught courses in labour economics, money, and banking.
