Washington: US President Donald Trump ordered the dismissal of the country’s labour statistics commissioner following a shock employment report which he alleged, without evidence, was “rigged” for political purposes.
The Bureau of Labour Statistics found only 73,000 jobs were created in the world’s biggest economy in July, well below market expectations, and significantly revised down the figures for May and June.
“Larger than normal” revisions concluded only 19,000 jobs were created in May, not 144,000, and only 14,000 jobs were created in June, not 147,000. In total, the numbers were revised down by 258,000 over two months.
Trump – who spent much of the week saying the US was “the hottest country in the world” after gross domestic product figures showed the economy had rebounded to grow 3 per cent in the June quarter – immediately went on the attack and ordered the sacking of the commissioner, Erika McEntarfer.
“I was just informed that our country’s ‘Jobs Numbers’ are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer … who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala’s chances of Victory,” Trump claimed on TruthSocial, citing previous corrections from 2024 when Biden was president.
“We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”
Trump added that in his opinion, the figures were “rigged” to make Republicans, himself included, look bad.
Despite the Labour Department trumpeting the July jobs growth figure earlier in the day, Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer promptly confirmed McEntarfer had been terminated following Trump’s orders, with the deputy commissioner now serving in an acting capacity.
