Fresh jobs data showed a major slowdown of hiring in recent months.
President Donald Trump fired the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday after a new jobs report showed a major slowdown of hiring in recent months.
In a social media post, Trump volleyed sharp criticism and baseless accusations at Erika McEntarfer, a Biden appointee who was confirmed by the Senate in 2024.
«I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY», Trump said, after baselessly accusing McEntarfer of having «faked» statistics.
McEntarfer has served in the federal government for 20 years, including positions at the U.S. Census Bureau, the Executive Office of the President, and the Department of Treasury, according to the BLS website.
The U.S. added 73,000 jobs in July, according to data from the BLS. That figured marked a slowdown from 147,000 jobs added in the previous month. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%, keeping it at near-historic lows.
The report also provided new estimates for two previous months, significantly dropping the government’s estimate of jobs added in May and June. The fresh data indicated a notable slowdown in hiring as Trump’s tariffs took hold over recent months.
The Trump administration described the downward revisions as an unwelcome sign for the U.S. economy.
«Obviously, they’re not what we want to see», Stephen Miran, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said on Friday.
Miran blamed the weak performance in part on uncertainty tied to the fate of Trump’s domestic spending legislation as well as the ultimate outcome of tariff policy.
