Demand Congress Reinstate BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer

The President just fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer—for doing her job.

After July’s disappointing jobs report, which showed only 73,000 jobs added and major downward revisions to previous months, Trump demanded her removal. His justification? Baseless claims that she manipulated the numbers because she was appointed during the Biden administration.

This is an outrageous attack on the independence of our economic data.

McEntarfer is a respected, nonpartisan economist with decades of service. Revisions to employment data are standard practice at the BLS. There’s no evidence of wrongdoing—only evidence that this firing was political retribution for honest reporting.

The BLS must remain independent. If its leaders can be fired for reporting facts that upset the White House, every American loses. We can’t make sound policy—or trust any economic data—if the numbers are being shaped by political pressure.

We call on both chambers to pass a resolution condemning McEntarfer’s firing and demanding her immediate reinstatement. Lawmakers must make clear that the BLS belongs to the public, not the President.