Confidence in the jobs report is supported by advocacy from Labor Department personnel, who encourage public faith

In a controversial move, President Donald Trump dismissed Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in August 2025, following the publication of a weak July jobs report. The unexpectedly low numbers sparked accusations from Trump that the jobs numbers had been manipulated to make him look bad.

The BLS, which surveys approximately 121,000 businesses and government agencies across the country each month, publishes its data following a set schedule. However, revisions to the data are common, especially when employers don't respond in time for the initial jobs report. In the case of the July report, it was later revised up by 6,000 jobs.

The July jobs report also included downward revisions of previous months' job gains. This revelation, along with the weak July numbers, led Trump to label the revisions as "a major mistake."

Trump further accused McEntarfer of manipulating the jobs numbers before last November's presidential election to help elect Kamala Harris. However, the current BLS employees have rallied in support of McEntarfer, calling her firing alarming and advocating for her reinstatement.

Helen Lurie, a member of the Stop DOL Cuts coalition, read a statement on behalf of the BLS employees at a rally held outside the Labor Department in Washington, D.C. on September 5, 2025. The employees sought to reassure the American public that the government's economic data is reliable and worthy of trust, vowing to publish data "no matter how inconvenient the results."

The BLS data will remain accurate and nonpartisan, as stated by the BLS. If the accuracy of the data ever changes, the professionals will inform the public. The BLS employees fear reprisal from the Trump administration for speaking out and don't want to be targeted for their words.

In August, the U.S. added only 22,000 jobs, less than anticipated. The June jobs report was revised to reveal that the country lost jobs for the first time since 2020. Despite these challenges, the BLS continues to strive for accuracy and transparency in its data reporting.

Confidence in the jobs report is supported by advocacy from Labor Department personnel, who encourage public faith