The nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has been met with criticism from conservative economists, who argue that his record at the Heritage Foundation is marred by elementary errors and partisan bias.
Several senior fellows at conservative think tanks have expressed concerns about Antoni’s qualifications for the role, citing examples of his “misunderstanding” of economic data. Stan Veuger, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, described Antoni’s work as “nonsensical choices that bias his findings in the same partisan direction.”
Dave Hebert, an economist at the American Institute for Economic Research, has also criticized Antoni, stating that he has been impressed by two things: Antoni’s inability to understand basic economics and his rapid shift towards a more partisan agenda.
Other critics, including Daniel Di Martino and Jessica Riedl, have pointed out specific instances of Antoni’s errors in citing data, which they argue make him unqualified for the role of BLS head. Economists who lean left, such as Jason Furman and Joe Brusuelas, also expressed concerns about Antoni’s qualifications.
In contrast, a White House spokesperson defended the selection process, stating that President Trump chose Antoni to “restore America’s trust in the jobs data” without attempting to resolve previous issues.
The nomination has sparked concerns about the politicization of economic data and the potential for volatility in the job market.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/08/12/trump-bls-ej-antoni-economists