President Donald Trump has fired Dr. Erika McEntarfer, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), accusing her—without evidence—of manipulating job numbers to harm his administration politically.

The move followed a disappointing July jobs report showing just 73,000 jobs added—well below expectations—and downward revisions to May and June figures by a combined 258,000. Trump reacted sharply, claiming the figures were deliberately distorted.

“In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, later calling the data “phony” and accusing McEntarfer of making a “major mistake.”

“We’re doing so well… So, you know what I did? I fired her,” Trump told reporters Friday.

McEntarfer, confirmed by the Senate in January 2024 for a four-year term, has not commented. Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski will serve as Acting Commissioner until a new appointment is made.

Trump has previously questioned the credibility of BLS data when unfavorable, despite praising it when reports were strong. Experts note that revisions like those made to the May and June figures are common, as the BLS uses evolving data and seasonal adjustments to refine its estimates.