The White House officially withdrew E.J. Antoni’s nomination to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on September 30, 2025. Antoni is a 37-year-old conservative economist and the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation. The decision ends a two-month fight that started when President Trump fired the previous commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, in August after a weak jobs report showed that only 73,000 jobs were created in July and that earlier months’ numbers were revised down by a lot.
Trump said that McEntarfer “faked” the data to hurt Republicans and blamed what he called a “Biden appointee.” Former BLS officials said that the commissioner doesn’t write monthly reports and only gets briefed before they are made public.
Key Takeaways
- Trump withdrew Antoni’s nomination after weeks of bipartisan criticism.
- Antoni faced resistance over lack of government experience and partisan record.
- His past included controversial social media posts and links to January 6.
- Economists warned Antoni’s views threatened the global credibility of BLS data.
- The decision comes days before a government shutdown that could delay new reports.
Why the withdrawal happened: Senate opposition
Antoni had a hard time getting support, even from Republicans. Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski said they wouldn’t meet with him because he wasn’t experienced enough. Kyle Pomerleau of the AEI said he was “not one of the competent conservative economists” for the job, which made conservative economists doubt his ability to do the job.
Concerns about the economy
Antoni had called BLS reports a “random number generator” many times and said that job reports should only come out every three months instead of every month. Critics said this would hurt the agency’s reputation as the best in the business, which is important for global markets, pensions, and fiscal policy. The BLS is already having a hard time because of budget cuts and fewer people taking surveys after the pandemic.
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When and how to see
The withdrawal comes just before the government is set to shut down on October 1, which would put most BLS employees on leave and delay the October jobs report. William Wiatrowski, the Acting Deputy Commissioner, will keep things running while the problem is being worked out. Groups that support BLS, like Friends of BLS, told the administration to make sure the next nominee has good management skills and is trustworthy.
Public Reaction
Sentiment on X was sharply divided. Analysis of 1,200 posts over the past week showed:
- 65% negative – highlighting Antoni’s lack of qualifications, partisan bias, and offensive posts.
- 25% positive – framing him as a reformer targeted by “deep state” opponents.
- 10% neutral/mixed – focusing on factual updates or speculation on the next nominee.
Negative reactions drove higher engagement. Positive posts clustered within MAGA-aligned accounts.
Broader Implications
The BLS makes important numbers like the Consumer Price Index, which affects interest rates, debt markets, and wage policies. Economists say that political interference could make people around the world less likely to trust U.S. statistics at a time when trade tensions are high and AI is changing the job market quickly.
Aaron Sojourner, a labor economist, said the withdrawal was a relief and that the agency now needs a “champion.” Steve Hanke, a former adviser to Reagan, said that Trump knows “when he’s riding a dead horse.”
Antoni will go back to the Heritage Foundation, where he makes more than $495,000 a year. He is expected to keep criticizing the BLS from outside of government.
