“Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will guarantee that the numbers presented are HONEST and ACCURATE,” Trump declared on his Truth Social platform.
Antoni, the chief economist at the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, is set to replace Joe Biden‘s appointee, Erika McEntarfer.
The Heritage Foundation notes that Antoni holds a PhD in economics. His published works have continuously commended Trump’s agenda, while expressing criticism towards his predecessor, Biden.
The nomination is pending approval from the Senate.
Why did Trump dismiss Erika McEntarfer?
Trump dismissed McEntarfer in August following the July report’s indication of a marked downturn in hiring. The US president accused her of manipulating the jobs figures without providing any evidence for such claims.
In the wake of McEntarfer’s dismissal, Trump pledged to appoint someone “much more competent and qualified.”
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett later conceded that the job market was indeed experiencing a slowdown.
As of September 2024, the BLS staff numbers around 2,300 employees. The bureau has recently faced scrutiny over the diminishing quality of its data.
Upon his return to the White House, Trump implemented a hiring embargo across multiple government agencies, an action that has also affected the BLS.
Edited by: Rana Taha
