Why Accurate Labor Statistics Matter For The US Economy

The president of the United States fired the head of the government's main economic statistics agency after a recent report showed a less than positive picture of U.S. employment.The civil servant President Donald Trump fired was former Commissioner of Labor Statistics Erika McEntarfer, a labor economist nominated to the role in 2023 by President Joe Biden. The Senate overwhelmingly confirmed her in 2024. Commissioners often serve under multiple presidents.The president defended his reasoning for the firing on social media – though he didn't provide evidence to back up his claims. We discuss the consequences when the president fires the person at the head of the government's main agency for economic statistics.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy