President Donald Trump has nominated E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics just days after firing the agency’s former commissioner, Erika McEntarfer. The move has sparked swift backlash from economists and policy experts, with critics accusing Antoni of promoting misleading economic claims.
McEntarfer’s dismissal came on August 1, hours after Antoni appeared on former White House strategist Steve Bannon’s podcast to discuss the BLS’s monthly jobs report, according to CNN. The report showed much lower-than-expected job growth for July and sharp downward revisions for May and June, totaling a loss of 258,000 jobs from previous estimates.
BREAKING: Trump announces he’s nominating E.J. Antoni, chief economist at Heritage and Project 2025 contributor, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Next jobs report is going to be HUGE. pic.twitter.com/qxrQoc3Q3O
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 11, 2025
On the show, Antoni labeled McEntarfer “incompetent” for failing to address what he described as persistent problems in data collection and interpretation at the BLS. He said a Trump-aligned figure should lead the agency, telling Bannon, “We still haven’t gotten there, and I think that’s part of the reason why we continue to have all of these different data problems.”
The decision to replace McEntarfer with Antoni has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Brendan Duke, senior director of Federal Budget Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, wrote on X that:
“Antoni has distinguished himself with his lack of shame in producing viral dishonest analyses that have been criticized by honest conservative analysts. If he brings that lack of shame to the production of official economic statistics, their reliability could be in question.” Other economists, including some from right-leaning think tanks, have echoed concerns that Antoni lacks the professional neutrality expected of a BLS commissioner.
I don’t think I have ever publicly criticized any Presidential nominee before.
But E.J. Antoni is completely unqualified to be BLS Commissioner. He is an extreme partisan and does not have any relevant expertise.
He would be a break from decades of nonpartisan technocrats.
— Jason Furman (@jasonfurman) August 11, 2025
Antoni has long been a public critic of the agency he is now set to lead. He has accused the BLS of publishing “make-believe” numbers and has questioned the accuracy of its reporting, particularly over large job revisions. His economic analyses have frequently gone viral in conservative media circles, but have also been criticized for faulty methodology and partisan framing.
The BLS, an agency within the Department of Labor, is responsible for producing key federal statistics on employment, wages, and inflation. Traditionally, it has operated as a nonpartisan body, with its leadership steering clear of political disputes. Critics fear Antoni’s appointment could erode public trust in its data at a time when labor market figures are central to debates over economic policy.
Economist X is unanimous on E.J. Antoni.
Yikes. #bls pic.twitter.com/StrrFOoXRR
— Henrietta Treyz (@HenriettaVeda) August 12, 2025
Trump’s decision comes amid a broader shake-up of agencies that produce official government statistics, with allies encouraging him to install loyalists who share his skepticism of certain economic data. The Senate will now weigh Antoni’s nomination, a process likely to become contentious given the strong reactions already circulating among lawmakers, economists, and policy advocates.
For supporters, Antoni’s appointment represents a chance to overhaul how the BLS gathers and reports information. For detractors, it signals the potential politicization of an institution that has long prided itself on impartiality.
The confirmation process will determine whether he takes the helm of the agency and, if so, how his leadership might alter the way Americans understand the state of the labor market. All signs are pointing to Antoni giving Trump what he wants, job reports and projections that are based on his feelings, not the facts.
