President Trump has fired the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Erika McEntarfer, after she released a jobs report showing the economy isn’t doing as well as he claims. The move is seen as an attempt to control information and suppress facts that contradict his version of reality.
Mr. Trump declared the numbers “phony” and claimed they were rigged against him. However, this was despite the data being from multiple sources and showing a consistent trend. The Bureau’s director had revised downward the estimated job creation of two previous months due to new data.
The move has sparked criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. They argue that it sets a dangerous precedent for suppressing dissenting views in government agencies. This is part of a larger pattern of Trump’s efforts to control information and promote his own version of reality, including firing officials who disagree with him or altering facts to suit his narrative.
Experts say this behavior is reminiscent of authoritarian leaders who seek to stifle unwanted information. “Democracy can’t realistically exist without reliable epistemic infrastructure,” said Michael Patrick Lynch, a professor at the University of Connecticut. “Anti-democratic leaders know this and will seize every opportunity to control sources of information.”
Mr. Trump’s team has been aggressive in seeking to steer information from federal agencies if it contradicts his views. The director of national intelligence was ordered to rewrite an assessment on Venezuela that undermined the president’s claims.
The move also comes as part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to rewrite history and alter facts to suit his narrative. Exhibits at National Park Service sites have been flagged for possible deletion, and the Smithsonian Institution has removed Mr. Trump from an exhibit on impeachment despite public outcry.
Experts warn that this behavior will erode trust in government and undermine democracy. “Firing the messenger won’t make the economy any better,” said Barbara Comstock, a former Republican congresswoman. “The reality is the economy is worse, and he can’t keep saying it’s better.”
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/us/politics/trump-bls-jobs-facts.html