US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is nominating veteran economist Brett Matsumoto to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), months after removing the agency’s previous commissioner following the release of a disappointing jobs report.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he was confident that Matsumoto had the experience and capability to address what he described as long-standing problems within the BLS. He added that Matsumoto would work quickly to restore confidence in the agency’s functioning and data on behalf of the American public.
Trump’s decision follows his move in August to dismiss then-BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, who had been appointed by former President Joe Biden. At the time, Trump accused her—without providing evidence—of manipulating employment data after a report showed weaker-than-expected job growth and significant downward revisions to nonfarm payroll figures for the previous two months.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics plays a central role in producing key economic indicators, including employment figures and inflation data, making its leadership highly consequential for economic policy and public confidence.
Matsumoto is a long-serving economist at the BLS and is currently on leave from the agency while working with the White House Council of Economic Advisers. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has spent much of his career working on labor market analysis and economic data.
Trump had earlier nominated conservative economist EJ Antoni to lead the BLS but later withdrew that nomination. Matsumoto’s appointment will require confirmation by the US Senate before he can formally assume the role.
Former BLS commissioners have criticised Trump’s past attacks on the agency, arguing that such statements risk undermining trust in official economic statistics and could discourage career economists from continuing in public service roles.
The nomination comes at a time when Trump is facing mounting pressure to demonstrate strong economic performance ahead of the November elections, which will determine control of Congress. Public opinion surveys indicate growing dissatisfaction with his handling of economic issues, particularly the rising cost of living, with only about 35 per cent of voters approving of his economic record.
