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Trump's BLS Nominee Faces Criticism Over Qualifications and Data Changes

8/19/2025

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Summary

Story summary

President Trump nominated E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), raising concerns about his qualifications and potential bias.
Critics, including Harvard economist Jason Furman, argue Antoni is unqualified for the role.
Antoni proposes changing BLS data releases from monthly to quarterly, potentially disrupting economic modeling.
Economists note declining survey response rates, impacting data reliability, a trend worsened by the pandemic.
The White House asserts Antoni is equipped to restore trust in BLS data.

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Story summary

President Trump nominated E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), raising concerns about his qualifications and potential bias.
Critics, including Harvard economist Jason Furman, argue Antoni is unqualified for the role.
Antoni proposes changing BLS data releases from monthly to quarterly, potentially disrupting economic modeling.
Economists note declining survey response rates, impacting data reliability, a trend worsened by the pandemic.
The White House asserts Antoni is equipped to restore trust in BLS data.