(Reuters) -Former Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, in her first public remarks since getting abruptly dismissed last month by President Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that firing the government’s chief labor statistician is a “dangerous step” that has serious economic consequences.
Trump fired McEntarfer, appointed to the role by former President Joe Biden, on August 1, hours after the BLS reported much weaker-than-expected job growth for July and issued an historically large revision to its employment figures for May and June.
In announcing her firing, Trump accused McEntarfer, without evidence, of manipulating the employment data for political purposes.
“Firing your chief statistician is a dangerous step … It has serious economic consequences,” according to U.S. media reports of McEntarfer’s remarks at an event at her alma mater, New York’s Bard College.
“The list of countries that have gone down this route, it’s not a good list: Argentina, Greece, Turkey. The resulting loss of trust in economic statistics led these countries to worsening economic crises, higher inflation and higher borrowing costs,” McEntarfer said. “If we follow a similar path, all Americans will suffer the consequences.”
Trump nominated E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, to replace McEntarfer.
Last week, BLS data showed the U.S. economy likely created 911,000 fewer jobs in the 12 months through March than previously estimated.
Like all government agencies, the BLS has been severely affected by the Trump administration’s mass firings, voluntary resignations, early retirements and hiring freezes, part of an unprecedented campaign by the White House to drastically reduce the size of government.
The BLS, whose workforce is estimated to have been reduced by about 15%, has suspended data collection for portions of the Consumer Price Index basket in some areas across the country.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil; Editing by Chris Reese)
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