President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the integrity of recent U.S. employment data, accusing the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and its leadership of political bias and manipulation. In a bold statement, Trump alleged that Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Biden-appointed Commissioner of Labor Statistics, deliberately inflated job numbers ahead of the 2024 presidential election to bolster former Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Trump pointed to major discrepancies in previously reported jobs data, including an 818,000 overstatement in March 2024 and an additional 112,000 in August and September—just before the election. “These were records. No one can be that wrong,” he stated, calling the figures politically motivated and deceptive.
He further noted that the BLS recently reported only 73,000 jobs added—a significant slowdown—along with a downward revision of 258,000 jobs over the previous two months. According to Trump, such repeated negative corrections undermine public trust and distort the true strength of the economy.
Declaring that “important numbers like this must be fair and accurate,” Trump announced he has directed his team to immediately remove Dr. McEntarfer from her position, promising a replacement “much more competent and qualified.” He emphasized the need for objective data, free from political influence.
Trump also criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, accusing the Fed of manipulating interest rates in a bid to influence the election. “They lowered them twice and substantially just before the election,” he said, suggesting the timing was intended to favor Harris. “Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell should also be put out to pasture.”
Despite the controversy, Trump affirmed that the economy is “booming under Trump,” insisting that real economic strength is being obscured by what he sees as coordinated efforts to downplay his administration’s success.