President Donald Trump has nominated economist E.J. Antoni as the new Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner.
Antoni is the Chief Economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation and a longtime critic of the BLS.
Last November, Antoni posted on X that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “needs to take a chainsaw to the BLS”.
He was also a contributor to the controversial conservative policy blueprint, Project 2025.
Antoni will replace Erika McEntarfer, who Trump fired on 1 August for allegedly manipulating jobs report data.
Her termination came just hours after the Bureau reported slower-than-expected nonfarm job payroll growth in July and after sharply revising downward previously reported June and May job gains.
“Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“I know E.J. Antoni will do an incredible job in this new role. Congratulations E.J.!”
The Senate will have to confirm Antoni’s nomination before he takes over the BLS, which is part of the Labour Department.
