Senate to Trump on job numbers: Don't shoot the messenger

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

https://www.axios.com/2025/08/01/senate-trump-jobs-numbers-skepticism

McEntarfer was confirmed 86-8 in January 2024, including a yes vote from then-Sen. JD Vance.

[mystery-ak]

 Trump trade adviser: President has ‘real concerns’ about jobs data after BLS firing
by Filip Timotija - 08/02/25 10:52 PM ET

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer weighed in on President Trump’s decision to fire the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner Erika McEntarfer, saying the commander-in-chief has “real concerns” about the jobs numbers that extend beyond the dismal Friday report.

“Even last year during the campaign, there were enormous swings in the jobs numbers, and so sounds to me like the President has real concerns. You know, not just based on today’s but everything we saw last year,” Greer said during his Friday appearance on CBS News’ “Face The Nation.”

“You want to be able to have somewhat reliable numbers. There are always revisions, but sometimes you see these revisions go in really extreme ways. And it’s, you know, the President is the President. He can choose who works in the executive branch,” Greer, one of Trump’s top tariff negotiators, told host Margaret Brennan.

Trump fired McEntarfer after a Friday morning jobs report from the Labor Department showed the U.S. added 258,000 fewer jobs in May and June than what was previously reported. The report also said the country added 73,000 jobs in July.

Trump axed the BLS chief Friday afternoon, accusing her of manipulating data to make him and Republicans look bad.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5434036-trump-trade-adviser-president-concerns-jobs-data/

[GtHawk]

Sounds like the BLS chief isn’t the only one in that department that needs to be looking for a new job.

[LMAO]

“You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.”

Ayn Rand

[Free Vulcan]

“You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.”

Ayn Rand

So are you saying she didn't lie?

[LMAO]

So are you saying she didn't lie?

Firing this woman is not going to make reality go away.

 Since George W. Bush’s presidency, whenever there is economic news that the opposition doesn’t like, the opposition reaction is to dismiss it as phony. I don’t think people know how this information is gathered. One person isn’t sitting in an office and writing down economic numbers to help or hurt a president.


This seems such a large swing in job numbers and I’m curious as to why this was the case. But there’s not one shred of evidence to show that these people are putting out poor jobs numbers in order to hurt Donald Trump. He just doesn’t like the results


Now what we could see happening is people, in an attempt to save their jobs, might try to hide poor economic numbers in order to make sure the president hears what he wants to hear


In order for me to decide that this woman is lying, I need something more than Donald Trump’s temper tantrum

[GtHawk]

Firing this woman is not going to make reality go away.

 Since George W. Bush’s presidency, whenever there is economic news that the opposition doesn’t like, the opposition reaction is to dismiss it as phony. I don’t think people know how this information is gathered. One person isn’t sitting in an office and writing down economic numbers to help or hurt a president.


This seems such a large swing in job numbers and I’m curious as to why this was the case. But there’s not one shred of evidence to show that these people are putting out poor jobs numbers in order to hurt Donald Trump. He just doesn’t like the results


Now what we could see happening is people, in an attempt to save their jobs, might try to hide poor economic numbers in order to make sure the president hears what he wants to hear


In order for me to decide that this woman is lying, I need something more than Donald Trump’s temper tantrum

seems to me I recall them putting out inflated numbers to help Biden and then very quietly revising them down….a lot. BLS is most definitely politicized and needs a good flush.

[Free Vulcan]

Firing this woman is not going to make reality go away.

 Since George W. Bush’s presidency, whenever there is economic news that the opposition doesn’t like, the opposition reaction is to dismiss it as phony. I don’t think people know how this information is gathered. One person isn’t sitting in an office and writing down economic numbers to help or hurt a president.


This seems such a large swing in job numbers and I’m curious as to why this was the case. But there’s not one shred of evidence to show that these people are putting out poor jobs numbers in order to hurt Donald Trump. He just doesn’t like the results


Now what we could see happening is people, in an attempt to save their jobs, might try to hide poor economic numbers in order to make sure the president hears what he wants to hear


In order for me to decide that this woman is lying, I need something more than Donald Trump’s temper tantrum

Revised Data Exposes “Overstated” Job Creation Claims by Harris-Biden Admin, Revealing 818,000 Nonexistent Jobs

Revised figures reveal a significant overstatement in the Harris-Biden administration's job creation claims, with 818,000 fewer jobs than initially reported—marking the largest downward adjustment in 15 years.

This revision indicates a monthly overcount of 68,000 jobs, including notable discrepancies in sectors such as manufacturing, with 115,000 fewer jobs, trade, transportation, and utilities down by 104,000, and construction jobs reduced by 45,000.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/revised-data-exposes-overstated-job-creation-claims-by-harris-biden-admin-revealing-818000-nonexistent-jobs/ar-AA1pc1Ez

[LMAO]

seems to me I recall them putting out inflated numbers to help Biden and then very quietly revising them down….a lot. BLS is most definitely politicized and needs a good flush.

The United States economy added 818,000 fewer jobs from April 2023 through March this year than were originally reported, the government says. The revised total adds to evidence that the job market has been steadily slowing and likely reinforces the US Federal Reserve’s plan to start cutting interest rates soon.

The Department of Labor estimated that job growth averaged 174,000 a month in the year that ended in March — a drop of 68,000 a month from the 242,000 that were initially reported. The revisions released Wednesday were preliminary with final numbers to be issued in February.

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/8/21/us-sharply-lowers-number-of-jobs-added-in-year-ending-in-march#:~:text=Economists%20are%20divided%20on%20the,to%20be%20issued%20in%20February.

That huge downward revision of jobs came out in August 2024 just a few  months before the election. Donald Trump even pounced on it at the time. And there was nothing quiet about their downward revision. That’s when the stock market took a huge drop as a result of that and Donald Trump called it the Kamala crash.

Questioning these huge revisions and why they’re happening is one thing, but that is not what Donald Trump is doing. The economy is weakening and he’s been telling everybody that it’s booming and he conquered inflation just like Biden and the Democrats claimed and it cost them the election of 2024.

Donald Trump enjoyed the advantage of being the challenger against an incumbent that was very unpopular. He is now the unpopular incumbent.

Why there’s these wild swings should be looked into. But Donald Trump made accusations against this woman that he has no evidence that that’s the case.

There is not one shred of evidence that she’s deliberately manipulating data to help or harm any politician

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

So are you saying she didn't lie?

Well, Trump said so without proof. She now has a defamation case against Trump.

Any future good news will now be called into question, as if the person giving it just did so under threat of being fired.

[Free Vulcan]

Well, Trump said so without proof. She now has a defamation case against Trump.

Any future good news will now be called into question, as if the person giving it just did so under threat of being fired.

Actually he has proof. They screwed that pooch last fall with their downward revision, yet that seems to be swept under the rug.

Their trust is already out the door.

[LMAO]

Actually he has proof. They screwed that pooch last fall with their downward revision, yet that seems to be swept under the rug.

Their trust is already out the door.

He has no proof whatsoever. His claim is that she deliberately downward revised the job numbers in order to hurt him and Republicans.

Yet he can’t explain why they were massively downgraded just three months before the 2024 election how that would’ve somehow helped Harris


Maybe this woman is not fit for the job. But he didn’t just come out and point out how many times since she was confirmed that we’ve had these massive downward revisions. He made an accusation against her that he cannot back up and has no evidence of.


Now they’ll be pressure on people to be wary about giving Donald Trump any news that doesn’t fit his narrative. It won’t be something they mean to do or won’t be because they’re bad people.

It’s just human nature. They don’t wanna risk their jobs

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Actually he has proof. They screwed that pooch last fall with their downward revision, yet that seems to be swept under the rug.

Their trust is already out the door.

Where was the proof? The downward revisions? There have been revisions on these numbers all of the time I've been aware of them.

According to ChatGPT, here are the revisions:

🧾 Summary Table
Month   Original Estimate   Revision   Final Estimate
January   +143,000   —   +143,000
February   +117,000   –15,000   +102,000
March   +228,000   –43,000   +185,000
April   +147,000   +11,000   +158,000
May   +139,000   +5,000   +144,000
June   +147,000   –133,000   +14,000
Combined May/June   —   –258,000   —
July   +73,000   (May/June retroactive cuts)   +73,000

I don't really see any pattern there, do you? Looks like up and down revisions, which has happened at least since W (that I'm aware of).

[LMAO]

I suppose the plus side for Trump with the economy in decline he just may get that rate cut he desires.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

He has no proof whatsoever. His claim is that she deliberately downward revised the job numbers in order to hurt him and Republicans.

Yet he can’t explain why they were massively downgraded just three months before the 2024 election how that would’ve somehow helped Harris


Maybe this woman is not fit for the job. But he didn’t just come out and point out how many times since she was confirmed that we’ve had these massive downward revisions. He made an accusation against her that he cannot back up and has no evidence of.


Now they’ll be pressure on people to be wary about giving Donald Trump any news that doesn’t fit his narrative. It won’t be something they mean to do or won’t be because they’re bad people.

It’s just human nature. They don’t wanna risk their jobs

She will join E Jean Carroll now in being able to count Trump's money (after he defamed her publically). Frankly I hope she enjoys it.

[Free Vulcan]

Now they’ll be pressure on people to be wary about giving Donald Trump any news that doesn’t fit his narrative. It won’t be something they mean to do or won’t be because they’re bad people.

Speculation and conjecture. You also have zero proof of that and certainly not the full story of how it all went down.

They've been caught cooking the books already, there's a high probability that it's kept happening and that their own malfeasance has  and should make them worry about losing their jobs.

[LMAO]

She will join E Jean Carroll now in being able to count Trump's money (after he defamed her publically). Frankly I hope she enjoys it.

My first registered nursing job was a supervisor at a nursing home and we would hire age agency CNA to fill in staffing gaps

Well, one of our own CNA’s accused one of the agency male CNA’s of taking her out on a date after work and raping her. We all were suspicious of the claim, but because the male CNA was from an agency, he wasn’t under union protection and was fired from ever returning to the nursing home again.


The nursing home could fire him for any reason, but the problem was is that they defamed  his character and said that they fired him because of his sexual aggression and he got an attorney and they had to settle. They had the right to fire him, but they did not have the right to defame his character.

[LMAO]

Speculation and conjecture. You also have zero proof of that and certainly not the full story of how it all went down.

They've been caught cooking the books already, there's a high probability that it's kept happening and that their own malfeasance has  and should make them worry about losing their jobs.

But you and Trump still have not provided any evidence as she is deliberately cooking the books in order to hurt Donald Trump. For some reason, you insist on ignoring the fact that Donald Trump made an accusation against her that he cannot back up in any way shape or form.

The burden of proof is always on the accuser.

If you believe that she’s out to get Trump, then how do you explain the massive downward revision 3 months before the election that probably did end up hurting Harris and helping Donald Trump?


If Joe Biden were to do something like this, you would have to restrain the commentators on Fox News

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

They've been caught cooking the books already, there's a high probability that it's kept happening and that their own malfeasance has  and should make them worry about losing their jobs.

Who was caught cooking the books already? That is something with legal implications.

[LMAO]

Who was caught cooking the books already? That is something with legal implications.

It’s becoming abundantly clear that a lot of people don’t know how this data  is gathered and why it has to be as accurate as can possibly be because policy decisions are made from the results

“Cooking the books” simply means not giving me the results I want

I think Trump knows these job numbers are bad and he’s having trouble coming to terms with that fact

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

It’s becoming abundantly clear that a lot of people don’t know how this data  is gathered and why it has to be as accurate as can possibly be because policy decisions are made from the results

“Cooking the books” simply means not giving me the results I want

I think Trump knows these job numbers are bad and he’s having trouble coming to terms with that fact

I think that "cooking the books" in this case would actually constitute fraud against the federal government, and is a legalistic definition that could land this lady in big trouble.

[LMAO]

I think that "cooking the books" in this case would actually constitute fraud against the federal government, and is a legalistic definition that could land this lady in big trouble.

It most certainly would. Because a lot of business and political decisions are made from the data.

And although downward revisions are normal, ever since this woman has taken over the job, there’s been some real massive swings and that needs to be addressed

[Free Vulcan]

Who was caught cooking the books already? That is something with legal implications.

Did you not read the article I posted?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Did you not read the article I posted?

Said nothing there about cooking books, just downward revisions, which wouldn't have come at all if there was actual malfeasance fraud in the numbers. Biden had a shitty economy and he lost because of that. That's done and over now. Trump's job was to reverse course, which from my POV hasn't really happened yet.

[Bigun]

Figures don't lie but liars sure can figure!

[Free Vulcan]

But you and Trump still have not provided any evidence as she is deliberately cooking the books in order to hurt Donald Trump. For some reason, you insist on ignoring the fact that Donald Trump made an accusation against her that he cannot back up in any way shape or form.

The burden of proof is always on the accuser.

You're sidestepping...again...and applying courtroom standards to a different situation.

The bottom line is the BLS has repeatedly put out bogus standards and then had to massively revise them. Their credibility is already suspect, so the whole 'burden of proof' thing is a smokescreen.

[Free Vulcan]

Said nothing there about cooking books, just downward revisions, which wouldn't have come at all if there was actual malfeasance fraud in the numbers. Biden had a shitty economy and he lost because of that. That's done and over now. Trump's job was to reverse course, which from my POV hasn't really happened yet.

Do you think they are going to admit that? Biden didn't lose, Harris did, and this came out when she was running for President. You think they aren't above petty revenge?

And it's not done and over if the same people are still there playing the same games. Don't complain about getting fired later when your credibility is already gone.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

You're sidestepping...again...and applying courtroom standards to a different situation.

The bottom line is the BLS has repeatedly put out bogus standards and then had to massively revise them. Their credibility is already suspect, so the whole 'burden of proof' thing is a smokescreen.

You're welcome to your opinion, but if we cannot trust their numbers, whose numbers can we trust?

[Bigun]

seems to me I recall them putting out inflated numbers to help Biden and then very quietly revising them down….a lot. BLS is most definitely politicized and needs a good flush.

Since the Clinton administration at least the entire federal bureaucracy has been politicized, and it all needs a good flush!

[LMAO]

You're sidestepping...again...and applying courtroom standards to a different situation.

The bottom line is the BLS has repeatedly put out bogus standards and then had to massively revise them. Their credibility is already suspect, so the whole 'burden of proof' thing is a smokescreen.

 There seems to be something in your mind that’s blocking the fact that nobody has ever suggested that there’s not something wrong with these wild swings in these numbers. The issue is  Donald Trump made an accusation against her that she’s deliberately cooking the books just to hurt him and Republicans

Just because somebody may screw up at their job does not mean they’re deliberately trying to cause harm.

This woman has been in public service for quite a few years, and I found no history that she’s used her position to try to help or harm any elected officials

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Do you think they are going to admit that? Biden didn't lose, Harris did, and this came out when she was running for President. You think they aren't above petty revenge?

And it's not done and over if the same people are still there playing the same games. Don't complain about getting fired later when your credibility is already gone.

Somehow I suspect that if the numbers suddenly become good, you guy will wholeheartedly accept them uncritically.

Anway, I won't complain, i'll just laugh when Trump ultimately loses the defamation suit like he lost against that E Jean Carroll. Trump will make a lot of people a lot of money.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Since the Clinton administration at least the entire federal bureaucracy has been politicized, and it all needs a good flush!

Trump was President from 2016 to 2020, why didn't he do it then?

[Free Vulcan]

You're welcome to your opinion, but if we cannot trust their numbers, whose numbers can we trust?

Circular reasoning.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Circular reasoning.

Ok, explain?

[Free Vulcan]

 There seems to be something in your mind that’s blocking the fact that nobody has ever suggested that there’s not something wrong with these wild swings in these numbers. The issue is  Donald Trump made an accusation against her that she’s deliberately cooking the books just to hurt him and Republicans

Just because somebody may screw up at their job does not mean they’re deliberately trying to cause harm.

This woman has been in public service for quite a few years, and I found no history that she’s used her position to try to help or harm any elected officials

You're trying to deflect away from the problem by keeping the spotlight on Trump and applying some kind of courtroom standard to his actions.

They're not 'screwing up' they are deliberately manipulating the numbers. You don't repeatedly pad the numbers over a long period of time and then yank them all away and say 'oops'. It is deliberate or you are utterly incompetent, either way you need to go.

My only issue is she should have been gone six months ago.

[LMAO]

Somehow I suspect that if the numbers suddenly become good, you guy will wholeheartedly accept them uncritically.

Yup. That’s why Trump and his supporters are looking for scapegoats and Powell and this woman are right now the targets.

Who will it be next? If 2019 is any guide, the media, the Democrats, and even businesses themselves.

[Free Vulcan]

Ok, explain?

You are saying that we must trust the numbers, therefore the numbers can be trusted.

[LMAO]

You're trying to deflect away from the problem by keeping the spotlight on Trump and applying some kind of courtroom standard to his actions.

They're not 'screwing up' they are deliberately manipulating the numbers. You don't repeatedly pad the numbers over a long period of time and then yank them all away and say 'oops'. It is deliberate or you are utterly incompetent, either way you need to go.

My only issue is she should have been gone six months ago.

You’ve made several replies to me and you still have provided no evidence that this woman deliberately is manipulating numbers to hurt Trump. That is the accusation at Donald Trump made about her. She may be incompetent at her job. But again, being incompetent does not mean that she’s doing anything malicious.

So until you provide any evidence, have a good day

[Bigun]

Just because somebody may screw up at their job does not mean they’re deliberately trying to cause harm.

Once is possibly just an innocent mistake but repeatedly doing the same thing is a different kettle of fish altogether.

[Free Vulcan]

You’ve made several replies to me and you still have provided no evidence that this woman deliberately is manipulating numbers to hurt Trump. That is the accusation at Donald Trump made about her. She may be incompetent at her job. But again, being incompetent does not mean that she’s doing anything malicious.

So until you provide any evidence, have a good day

It's already been provided, you just refuse to see it and want to keep our eyes on Trump.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

You are saying that we must trust the numbers, therefore the numbers can be trusted.

I'm not saying that, approach anything with a healthy dose of skepticism, but the BLS numbers have been used by economists and such for years. But of course, every source is going to  have doubters, possible biases, legitimate human errors, etc. BLS numbers have just been better than most for years.

But anyway, how do accurately gauge the economy if there is no such thing as trustworthy numbers?

[Bigun]

Trump was President from 2016 to 2020, why didn't he do it then?

Because he can't do it all by himself. He learned a LOT during those years and is taking a decidedly different approach this time around. Doing a lot of winning at it I might add.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Yup. That’s why Trump and his supporters are looking for scapegoats and Powell and this woman are right now the targets.

Who will it be next? If 2019 is any guide, the media, the Democrats, and even businesses themselves.

This is where Trump does actually start to resemble a Hugo Chavez type and his supporters being the para-militarized socialist types. Soon he'll be jailing employers for not hiring people.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Because he can't do it all by himself. He learned a LOT during those years and is taking a decidedly different approach this time around. Doing a lot of winning at it I might add.

  You're already an accolyte and a true believer, I don' think the "normies" will see it the same way.

[Free Vulcan]

I'm not saying that, approach anything with a healthy dose of skepticism, but the BLS numbers have been used by economists and such for years. But of course, every source is going to  have doubters, possible biases, legitimate human errors, etc. BLS numbers have just been better than most for years.

But anyway, how do accurately gauge the economy if there is no such thing as trustworthy numbers?

A good question to ask the woman Trump fired.

The jobs data report is the biggest report on the calendar for the markets. It affects trillions of dollars in trades. You don't get to screw up to the tune of nearly a million jobs and then say you need hard definitive proof that I'm screwing up.

[Bigun]

You're already an accolyte and a true believer, I don' think the "normies" will see it the same way.

Right!  I was talking about this kind of crap on this site long before any of us ever heard the name Trump in connection with politics.

[Free Vulcan]

This is where Trump does actually start to resemble a Hugo Chavez type and his supporters being the para-militarized socialist types. Soon he'll be jailing employers for not hiring people.

It always goes to that level paranoia and conspiracy theory with the Trump detractors.

Where is that hard evidence standard of proof now?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

A good question to ask the woman Trump fired.

The jobs data report is the biggest report on the calendar for the markets. It affects trillions of dollars in trades. You don't get to screw up to the tune of nearly a million jobs and then say you need hard definitive proof that I'm screwing up.

I'm asking you, since you're the one uncritically buying what Trump is saying about this woman. And she doesn't post in this forum.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

It always goes to that level paranoia and conspiracy theory with the Trump detractors.

Where is that hard evidence standard of proof now?

 
We'll see. I hope I'm wrong.

[LMAO]

Once is possibly just an innocent mistake but repeatedly doing the same thing is a different kettle of fish altogether.

And you can chalk it up to incompetence. And maybe this woman isn’t the right fit for the job.

But it still doesn’t point to anything deliberate.