Labor Secretary Supports Trump’s Firing of BLS Head

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez Deremar expressed her approval of President Trump’s decision to dismiss the head of Labor Statistics (BLS) following the release of July’s employment report, which was unexpectedly poor.

In a social media post, Chavez Deremar welcomed the president’s action to remove BLS commissioner Erica Mantelfer after the agency, part of the Labor Bureau, issued the disappointing report.

She stated, “I sincerely agree with @potus that the numbers in our work are fair and accurate and not manipulated for political purposes.”

Chavez Deremar pointed out that “a recent series of major revisions have emerged and raised concerns about the decisions made by the Biden-appointed Secretary of Labor.” She voiced her support for the president’s choice to appoint a new commissioner to restore trust in the crucial data produced by the BLS.

McEntarfer, who was appointed by the previous president, has a lengthy history in government, with over 20 years of service across both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Former BLS commissioner William Beach, who served under Trump from 2019 to 2023, criticized the dismissal of his successor.

He wrote, “The completely unfounded termination of my successor, Dr. Erica Mantelfer, as BLS’s Labor Statistics Commissioner, sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the bureau’s statistical mission.” He also shared concerns from other veterans of the BLS.

Trump’s decision to fire Mantelfer has led to widespread criticism from economists and analysts irrespective of their political leanings.

One comment noted that “Erica Mantelfer dedicated her career to public service. She served as a BLS commissioner with great integrity.” The statement added that there is “absolutely no evidence that BLS data is politically biased.”

Another point raised was that by falsely alleging bias in the data, Trump is compromising the integrity of information that policymakers, businesses, families, and investors rely on to make critical decisions impacting the nation’s welfare.

The concern was highlighted further, stressing the importance of understanding that government statistics should be viewed as fair and of high quality. Questioning this could result in harm to the United States, the statement concluded.