On August 3 (US time), White House economic advisers spoke in defense of US President Donald Trump's decision to fire Ms. Erika McEntarfer - Member of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
This move comes after the agency published an adjustment report showing that the actual employment figures were significantly lower than the initial report.
In its August 2 report, the BLS said that the number of jobs created in May and June was revised down to a net of more than 258,000. Mr. Trump accused Ms. McEntarfer of forging the data but did not provide evidence, and said he would soon appoint a new leader.
Ms. McEntarfer only expressed her honor at serving at BLS and praised the agency's civil service team. However, Mr Trump's decision has been met with criticism from many experts and former officials, concerned about affecting the independence and reputation of US economic data.
Mr. Kevin Hassett - Director of the US National Economic Council - said that President Trump has a legitimate reason to change leadership. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also said that Mr. Trump is really concerned about the accuracy of labor data.
In contrast, economists and former BLS leaders warn that the sudden sacking of Ms. McEntarfer could seriously damage the agencys reputation. Mr. William Beach - a former member of the BLS - emphasized that it is normal for a member not to manipulate employment data and annual adjustments.
Former US Treasury Secretary Donald Summers called Trump's allegations "unreasonable", asserting that the data was built by hundreds of experts according to a strict process, ensuring objectivity and accuracy.
