Trump picks E.J. Antoni to guide Bureau of Labor Statistics: What to know

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Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump introduced his new nominee to move the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Monday night, lower than two weeks after firing the company’s earlier commissioner.

Who does Trump need to run BLS? E.J. Antoni, the chief economist on the Heritage Basis, a right-wing suppose tank, is Trump’s alternative for the highest job at BLS. Antoni will must be confirmed by the Senate earlier than taking the job.

What do I have to find out about him? Antoni’s nomination has many economists critically involved. BLS, which gives knowledge in regards to the state of the US economic system, is a historically nonpartisan company, and Antoni is something however nonpartisan: He’s a longtime critic of the company who contributed to Challenge 2025, the Heritage Basis blueprint for a second Trump administration, and he’s extensively thought-about to be underqualified for the job.

Much more alarming, Antoni prompt on Monday that BLS may cease issuing month-to-month jobs experiences, which offer a daily have a look at the state of the US economic system and assist information financial decision-making. As a substitute, he prompt, the company would launch solely quarterly knowledge.

What’s the context for Antoni’s nomination? Trump wants a brand new BLS commissioner as a result of he fired the final one, Erika McEntarfer, after the company launched jobs numbers that confirmed hiring at nicely under anticipated ranges.

The choice raised considerations that Trump’s subsequent choose would really feel strain to report higher numbers, whatever the true totals. Antoni’s background and feedback do little to dispel that concern.

What’s the large image? As my colleague Andrew Prokop has written , it’s unclear how a lot room the BLS head truly has to fudge jobs numbers — but when it occurs, it could push the US into territory typically occupied by authoritarian regimes. It will doubtless additionally include severe financial penalties, undermining each confidence within the US economic system and the information that regulators and corporations use to make main selections, like setting rates of interest.

And with that, it’s time to sign off…

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