Kevin Hassett Supports Firing of BLS Commissioner Over Job Data Revisions

Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, supported President Donald Trump's decision to dismiss the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics amid concerns over significant revisions to recent employment data. The latest BLS report indicated a modest increase of 73,000 jobs in July, with the unemployment rate ticking up slightly to 4.2%. Notably, the report revised job figures downward for the previous two months, raising questions about data accuracy. Following the report's release, Trump dismissed BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, a nominee appointed by President Biden. Trump accused her of manipulating job numbers prior to the November elections. Hassett addressed these claims on NBC's Meet the Press, emphasizing the extent of revisions to the employment figures. "We've observed substantial adjustments to the jobs data," Hassett explained. "While the recent month's numbers appear reasonable, revisions over the past two months have been the largest since 1968." When asked about evidence supporting claims of data manipulation, Hassett pointed to the revisions themselves. "For instance, there was an 818,000 downward revision that significantly impacted the employ...