Is EJ Antoni a Good Pick for the Bureau of Labor Statistics?

President Donald Trump tapped Heritage Foundation (Right bias) economist Dr. E.J. Antoni to be commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), prompting bipartisan concerns about the politicization of economic roles in the US government. 

The Details: Antoni’s appointment will require the Senate’s approval. Despite media pushback, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said his “vast experience as an economist has prepared him to produce accurate public data for businesses, households and policymakers to inform their decision-making.”

For Context: Trump alleged that the BLS rigged its latest jobs report to muddy his reputation, firing then-BLS Commissioner Dr. Erika McEntarfer as a result. He also presented alternative statistics, claiming job growth was overstated by 1.5 million in former President Joe Biden’s last two years in office. Antoni, a known critic of the BLS, called McEntarfer “incompetent.” 

Common Ground - WSJ: Outlets on the left emphasized the criticisms of Antoni, specifically from conservatives. However, The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board (Lean Right) wrote that Trump “did no favors” for Antoni, who would “have to overcome public skepticism.” The writers asserted, “Antoni will have to take off his MAGA hat if he wants to ensure that the public and markets can trust BLS data.”

Common Ground - NYT: The New York Times (Lean Left) highlighted Antoni’s appearances on conservative broadcast networks. It wrote, “Having an ideologue at the head of the agency is not reassuring. For now, though, some are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt,” and, “Most experts said they doubted Dr. Antoni would be able to start skewing the data right away, even if he wanted to.” 

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