(TJV NEWS) President Donald Trump has dismissed Dr. Erika McEntarfer, Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following the release of a disappointing jobs report for July that showed only 73,000 jobs added—far below expectations. The firing has sparked criticism from across the political spectrum, including from prominent Republican lawmakers and economic experts, who warn the move could undermine trust in official government data.

The July jobs report, released Friday, also included steep downward revisions to the May and June figures. Job growth in June was reduced from 147,000 to just 14,000, while May’s numbers dropped from 144,000 to 19,000—a combined 258,000 fewer jobs than previously reported. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%.

President Trump reacted to the data by accusing McEntarfer, a Biden appointee confirmed in January 2024, of politically manipulating the numbers. In a Truth Social post hours after the report’s release, Trump wrote, “I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY,” claiming without evidence that she had skewed job figures to hurt his administration and help Democrats. He added, “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified.”

McEntarfer, an economist who previously worked at the U.S. Census Bureau, has not publicly responded. The BLS confirmed she had been removed from her post and that Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski would serve as acting head.

While some of Trump’s supporters praised the decision—conservative commentator Laura Loomer called it a “great job”—others expressed concern, including within the president’s own party.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) called the firing “impetuous,” stating, “If the president is firing the statistician because he doesn’t like the numbers but they are accurate, then that’s a problem.” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) echoed the sentiment, saying, “If she was just fired … because they didn’t like the numbers, they ought to grow up.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) questioned the logic of the move: “You can’t really make the numbers different or better by firing the people doing the counting.” He warned that removing nonpartisan statisticians erodes the credibility of economic reporting.

Former BLS Commissioner William Beach, who served during Trump’s first term, also denounced the decision, calling it “totally groundless.” In a letter co-signed by “Friends of the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” Beach argued that McEntarfer’s dismissal undermines the BLS’s mission and “sets a dangerous precedent.”

The letter emphasized that the BLS’s decentralized data collection system is designed to prevent political interference, noting that U.S. economic statistics are widely regarded as among the most reliable in the world.

Despite the criticism, Trump doubled down in a follow-up post, again calling the numbers “rigged” and insisting the U.S. economy was “BOOMING” under his leadership. However, some of his allies have attributed the weak numbers to ongoing uncertainty surrounding his trade and tariff policies.

Stephen Moore, an economics fellow at the Heritage Foundation and Trump ally, told Fox Business that “all the turmoil of tariffs and trade wars” has contributed to employers pausing hiring. “A lot of their businesses came to a standstill,” he said.

Kevin O’Leary, a businessman and Trump supporter, told CNN he disagreed with the firing: “We had a bad print on jobs. I don’t agree on whacking the Commissioner.”

Democrats also reacted strongly.  Far left Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said the move signaled an “authoritarian” impulse and warned it could further erode public trust in government statistics. Rosemary Boeglin, communications director for the Democratic National Committee, said: “Just because he’s humiliated by the mess he’s made, the president doesn’t get to fire the economists who give business owners and the public data about the health of our economy.”

Paul Schroeder, executive director of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, described the firing as “very damaging,” adding: “This action is a grave error by the administration and one that will have ramifications for years to come.”

The firing comes at a time of increasing scrutiny over the political independence of federal agencies, especially those that produce economic data critical to shaping policy and guiding private-sector decisions.

While Trump has long touted job growth and low unemployment as key accomplishments, the recent economic slowdown—combined with his public rejection of unfavorable data—has triggered unease, even among allies, about the politicization of previously nonpartisan institutions.