What happens when the job numbers don’t flatter the President? Apparently, someone gets fired.
President Trump has sacked Erika McEntarfer, head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
This came just hours after a weak jobs report rattled markets and sparked fresh fears about his trade policies.
Trump claims she “rigged” the numbers to make him—and Republicans—“look bad.”
But economists aren’t buying it. “Firing someone over data collected through long-standing methods?
That’s what you see in authoritarian regimes,” said ex-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
What’s The Reason?
The BLS report showed just 73,000 new jobs in July—well below forecasts—and included sharp downward revisions for May and June.
Though such adjustments are routine, the size of this one raised eyebrows.
Still, experts like Heather Long say it’s a red flag: “The labor market is deteriorating quickly.”
Behind it all? Trump’s escalating tariffs. He’s raised import taxes to 17%, saying it’ll boost U.S. manufacturing.
But businesses and investors aren’t convinced. The stock market tanked Friday. Again.
McEntarfer, a widely respected economist, called her tenure “the honour of my life.”
Her supporters say the real danger now is political interference in neutral data.
So, what’s next? If facts get fired, who’s left to tell the truth?
