WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump said he's ordered the firing of Erika McEntarfer, the U.S. commissioner of Labor Statistics, accusing her without evidence of manipulating figures for "political purposes" after the Labor Department reported the U.S. added a disappointing 73,000 jobs in July.
Trump on Aug. 1 announced the move in a post on his social media app Truth Social, writing that he was "just informed that our Country’s 'Jobs Numbers' are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer."
"We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified," Trump said. "Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes."
More: July jobs report reveals employers added 73,000 jobs; unemployment rises
The Senate in January 2024 confirmed McEntarfer, an appointment of former President Joe Biden. A labor economist, McEntarfer has worked 20 years in the federal government, including previous stints at the U.S. Census Bureau and Treasury Department.
