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On Monday, President Donald Trump nominated EJ Antoni, a conservative economist from the Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following the dismissal of the previous commissioner. Trump, who claims the recent poor jobs numbers were “rigged,” believes Antoni will ensure the BLS provides “HONEST and ACCURATE” data. Critics, however, have labeled Antoni as “completely unqualified” and “an extreme partisan,” noting many of his previous works contain numerous errors that skew findings.
Antoni has advocated for a significant overhaul of the BLS, suggesting on a podcast that the agency needs a complete redesign to correct its alleged data problems. His past comments indicate a preference for quarterly data releases over the monthly updates that currently inform economists and policymakers about the economy’s health. In addition, he has proposed merging the BLS with other statistical agencies and collecting family-related data, which aligns with the Trump administration’s pronatalist agenda.
Trump and Antoni share conspiracy-driven views on data integrity, as both allege that BLS revisions are politically charged and that the Biden administration provides unreliable employment data. Antoni’s positions, often unsupported by evidence, also include controversial claims about immigration and tariffs. His confirmation from the Senate is required before he can officially take over the post, though he faces challenges, including key staff vacancies and proposed budget cuts.
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