economic data manipulation

Trump Names Unqualified Project 2025 Economist as Labor Stats Chief

Following the firing of the previous U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, President Trump nominated E.J. Antoni, the Heritage Foundation’s chief economist, to lead the agency. Critics, including conservative economists, have expressed concern over Antoni’s partisan affiliations and lack of experience in statistics collection. Experts suggest that, if confirmed, Antoni could manipulate jobs data to support Trump’s claims of a “booming” economy, potentially undermining the integrity and reliability of economic data. This move has been widely criticized as undemocratic and economically dangerous, with potential consequences for policymakers and the public.

Read More

Trump Admin Accused of Delaying Inconvenient Economic Data

A Politico report alleges that Trump administration officials delayed and redacted a USDA report predicting an increase in the farm goods trade deficit, contradicting the president’s claims about his economic policies. The delay, attributed by the USDA to internal review, is viewed by some as political interference designed to suppress data unfavorable to the administration. This incident raises concerns about the integrity of government reports and the public’s trust in the accuracy of official data, especially given existing questions regarding data reliability. The potential for political manipulation of government reports, regardless of intent, undermines public confidence in the information produced by federal agencies.

Read More