U.S. President Donald Trump announced on August 11, 2025, his nomination of economist Dr. E.J. Antoni as the new Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This announcement followed the firing of the previous commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, earlier in the month after a weak July jobs report that showed the U.S. economy added just 73,000 jobs, far below expectations. Trump accused McEntarfer without evidence of manipulating the numbers to portray Republicans and himself unfavorably. He declared on his social media platform Truth Social that the economy was booming and expressed confidence that Antoni would ensure the released numbers were honest and accurate. Antoni currently serves as chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, a think tank closely aligned with Trump’s administration and the architect of the Project 2025 blueprint, which outlines many controversial government reforms Trump supports.

Antoni, who must be confirmed by the Senate, is known as a vocal critic of the BLS and its data reporting methods. He has publicly questioned the legitimacy of the agency's economic data over the past year, particularly criticizing the revisions and methodology surrounding labor market statistics. In 2024, Antoni called some of the Biden administration’s labor statistics as fictional after significant downward revisions to employment estimates from April 2023 to March 2024. His nomination has caused concern among economists and policymakers, who fear his appointment may politicize the agency. Critics argue that Antoni lacks the traditional nonpartisan and technical background typical of previous BLS commissioners and label his appointment as a challenge to the agency’s credibility. Prominent economists have called Antoni unqualified and described the nomination as an attack on independent economic analysis.

The firing of Erika McEntarfer and Antoni’s nomination come amid growing scrutiny of the BLS and the quality of its economic data outputs. The BLS, which has around 2,300 staff members as of late 2024, gathers vital statistics on employment, inflation, and other economic indicators that affect global financial markets. The agency often adjusts data retroactively due to survey response rates and data collection challenges but denies any misconduct or manipulation. Previous BLS commissioners have noted that the commissioner is not directly involved in producing job reports but oversees the agency. Antoni faces significant challenges in restoring trust in the BLS amid criticisms of eroding data quality and the practical difficulties in data gathering, especially related to inflation and employment surveys.

Steve Bannon, a former senior Trump adviser, has been a strong advocate for Antoni’s nomination. Antoni has also frequently praised the Trump administration in his writings at the Heritage Foundation and was quick to call for McEntarfer’s firing before it occurred. Trump praised Antoni's credentials as an economist and his alignment with Trump’s views on economic data honesty. However, economists warn that some future data releases may not meet expectations, and how Trump reacts to these will be closely watched. Meanwhile, Antoni, who holds a doctorate in economics and has taught subjects including labor economics and monetary policy, will be tasked with navigating this politically charged environment while leading a key federal agency responsible for some of the most closely watched economic data in the world.