Trump Fires US Labor Statistics Chief After Weak July Job Report

President Donald Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, the head of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following the release of a disappointing July jobs report showing only 73,000 new jobs created, far below expectations. Trump accused McEntarfer, a Biden appointee confirmed by the Senate, of manipulating employment data for political purposes to benefit Democratic candidates, though he presented no concrete evidence for these claims. The BLS also revised downward the job gains for May and June by over 250,000, intensifying doubts about the accuracy of economic data under McEntarfer's leadership. This dismissal has alarmed Wall Street and raised concerns about political interference in economic statistics, contributing to a drop in major stock indexes and criticism of the White House's handling of data. Trump further criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, accusing the Fed of mishandling interest rates to influence election outcomes. The BLS has not yet issued a statement regarding the firing, while experts warn that such interventions risk undermining trust in crucial economic indicators.