Trump wants to appoint his own supporters at the Bureau of Labor Statistics following the dismissal of the commissioner
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has come under scrutiny following claims by former President Donald Trump that the jobs report is rigged. However, these allegations have been debunked by independent experts, former BLS officials, and fact-checkers.
The BLS's downward revision of 818,000 jobs in August 2024 was part of an annual “benchmarking” process using more precise unemployment insurance data. This is a routine and long-standing methodology to improve data accuracy, not political manipulation.
Experts and former officials strongly reject the idea that job reports are “rigged” or manipulated for political purposes. Former BLS commissioner William Beach, appointed under Trump, said rigging jobs numbers “is not possible, and it’s not possible by design.” Similarly, Kathy Utgoff, a former commissioner under George W. Bush, affirmed that the commissioner cannot alter the numbers and only approves the press release wording.
Fact-check organizations like PolitiFact and FactCheck.org find Trump’s timeline and assertions about the BLS engaging in politically motivated data manipulation to be inaccurate and unsupported by evidence. They stress the BLS’s longstanding reputation for impartiality and reliability in economic data.
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, defending Trump's decision to fire BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, claimed without evidence that there are "partisan patterns" in the jobless data and that "data can't be propaganda." However, the data production process at the BLS is independent and conducted with professional standards that prevent manipulation.
Meanwhile, the US has imposed new tariffs on goods from various countries, including Brazil (50%), Myanmar (40%), and Switzerland (39%). These tariffs have resulted in increased prices for some American goods such as toys, furniture, apparel, and footwear. Economists and investors have expressed concerns about the impact of these tariffs on financial markets.
As the August 12 deadline with China approaches, the US does not have a deal with China, and the possibility of a delay in the trade deal is looming. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated that the trade deal could be delayed further.
In a recent development, former BLS Commissioner William Beach stated that the firing of McEntarfer undermines credibility in the bureau and raises questions about the perception of future reports. After the jobs report was released, Trump posted on Truth Social that "today's Jobs Numbers were RIGGED." Trump later announced he was firing McEntarfer.
Despite these claims and actions, the BLS continues to maintain its reputation for rigorous, transparent data methodologies, and its commitment to providing accurate and reliable economic data.
- The BLS's revision of job figures in August 2024 was part of an annual process to improve data accuracy, not a form of political manipulation as some politicians have suggested.
- Experts and former BLS officials, including William Beach and Kathy Utgoff, have debunked claims that job reports are rigged or manipulated for political purposes.
- Fact-check organizations have found Trump's assertions about the BLS engaging in politically motivated data manipulation to be inaccurate and unsupported.
- Economists and investors have expressed concerns about the potential impact of the US imposing tariffs on goods from various countries on financial markets.
- The US continues to maintain its commitment to providing accurate and reliable economic data, despite ongoing claims and actions suggesting otherwise regarding the BLS's credibility and data methodologies.
