White House Economic Advisor Faces Tough Questions on Labor Statistics Dismissal

On Sunday, Kevin Hassett, advisor to the White House Economic Council, returned to NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where host Kristen Welker pressed him about his decision to dismiss a member of President Donald Trump’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) committee. Welker, reading from a statement by former BLS commissioner William Beach, asked, “Isn’t this the definition of shooting a messenger?” Beach expressed concerns that this move could set a troubling precedent.

In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump directed the termination of BLS commissioner Erica Mantelfer, labeling her job numbers as “fake.” Hassett, however, defended his actions, arguing that releasing an extensive, politically significant report would have been more appropriate than simply letting the job numbers speak for themselves. “I have a long report explaining what happened, but we didn’t get it,” he said, expressing a need for fresh perspectives within the BLS.

The BLS had announced on Friday that just 74,000 jobs were added in July—well below the 110,000 job growth predicted by economists. Furthermore, employment data for May and June were revised down significantly. For instance, May initially reported 125,000 jobs added but was revised to only 19,000, while June’s figure was adjusted downward as well.

Welker continued to challenge Hassett, asking if there was substantial evidence to support Trump’s claim that the employment report was manipulated. Hassett remarked that the sheer volume of revisions pointed to a trend in employment data, referencing the significant adjustments made post-pandemic as well.

As the discussion unfolded, Welker posed a critical question: “Is the president prepared to fire anyone who reports data he disagrees with?” In response, Hassett asserted that this was not the case. “The President wants his people, so looking at the numbers is more transparent and reliable,” he said, hinting at hopes for clearer job data moving forward.