Washington — President Donald Trump said Friday he is nominating government economist Brett Matsumoto to lead the country Bureau of Labor StatisticsAfter previously being charged by the federal agency Low monthly job numbers released In order to make him look bad.
There is no evidence that the Bureau of Labor Statistics sought to undermine Trump with its data releases, but a series of reviews of previous reports this summer showed that the labor market weakened after Trump returned to the White House and was elected. It sacked its manager in August.
The president asserted that the BLS is a troubled agency led by “weak and stupid people,” according to a social media post Friday night.
But Trump said Matsumoto would “quickly fix” any problems with the agency. Matsumoto served as a supervisory research economist at the BLS and served as a senior economist on the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
“Brett Matsumoto is a brilliant, reputable, and trusted economist who will bring greatness back to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” Trump said on Truth Social.
The president had initially selected EJ Anthony, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, to lead the BLS. But the White House Withdrawal of nomination In September, Anthony faced sharp criticism over his qualifications. NBC News also reported that Anthony was in the crowd outside the U.S. Capitol during January 6, 2021, Uprising.
Trump fired former BLS Commissioner Erica McIntarver after the July jobs report was released in August. Which Jobs report It showed that only 73,000 jobs were added last month and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. The July figure has since been revised down to 72,000.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also issues a range of economic reports, including the Consumer Price Index, which covers inflation.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report Trump’s choice of Matsumoto.