United States President Donald Trump has nominated EJ Antoni, the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS). The nomination comes after Trump’s firing of the agency’s previous head, Erika McEntarfer, over her role in the release of weak employment figures. Trump justified McEntarfer’s dismissal by claiming, without evidence, that the latest jobs report had been “rigged” to make him look bad.
“Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE. I know E.J. Antoni will do an incredible job in this new role. Congratulations E.J.!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Antoni’s nomination requires confirmation by the US Senate.
Antoni’s nomination has drawn criticism from economists who question his qualifications and partisan leanings. Jason Furman, an economist at Harvard Kennedy School who served as an adviser to former US President Barack Obama, called Antoni “completely unqualified.” “He is an extreme partisan and does not have any relevant expertise. He would be a break from decades of nonpartisan technocrats,” Furman said in a post on X.
Erica Groshen, who led the BLS under Obama, voiced similar concerns. “So far, what worries me is that the nominee and his work are not well known in the business, academic or public service communities,” Groshen told Al Jazeera. At the Heritage Foundation, Antoni has consistently praised Trump, describing the US president and his Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, as “artistic masters” after Trump’s announcement of a trade deal with Japan last month.
The nomination of Antoni raises concerns about the credibility and independence of US government statistics. Trump’s firing of McEntarfer had already sparked fears that the integrity of official statistics was being compromised for political gain. As the head of the BLS, Antoni would be responsible for ensuring that economic data is accurate and unbiased. However, his partisan leanings and lack of experience in the field have raised doubts about his ability to maintain the agency’s independence.