President Donald Trump announced Friday that he had ordered the firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Biden-appointed Commissioner of Labor Statistics, accusing her of inflating job growth under the Biden administration and understating gains during his presidency. In a post on Truth Social, Trump alleged that McEntarfer “faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election” to help then-Vice President Kamala Harris and continued to manipulate figures into his term.

Trump cited past Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) errors, claiming the agency overstated job growth by hundreds of thousands in early and late 2024. He called for McEntarfer’s immediate removal, stating she would be replaced by “someone much more competent and qualified.”

The president also criticized recent job reports, highlighting a July figure of only 73,000 new jobs and downward revisions totaling 258,000 for previous months. Trump accused the Federal Reserve of similar election interference, referencing interest rate cuts he believes were designed to help Harris win. He added that Fed Chair Jerome Powell “should also be put ‘out to pasture.’”

Critics, including economists Jason Furman and Mark Zandi, condemned Trump’s move, warning it could erode public trust in key economic data. “Accurate statistics are essential to the economy,” Furman said, while Zandi called the BLS reports among the most reliable in government.

However, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer backed the decision, citing recent “major revisions” as justification for the leadership change. She emphasized the need for public trust in the BLS’ economic reporting.