Kevin Hassett Supports Trump's Decision to Fire BLS Commissioner Amid Data Controversy

Kevin Hassett, serving as the Director of the National Economic Council, expressed support for President Donald Trump's decision to dismiss the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) amidst controversy over recent jobs data revisions. The latest report indicated that the U.S. economy added only 73,000 jobs in July, with the unemployment rate increasing slightly to 4.2%. Notably, the report revised job figures downward for the previous two months, sparking concerns over data accuracy. Following the release, President Trump dismissed BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, a Biden appointee, accusing her of manipulating employment figures prior to the November election. Hassett addressed these claims on NBC's Meet the Press, highlighting significant revisions to the jobs numbers—particularly a substantial downward revision of over 800,000 jobs, which he noted as unprecedented since 1968. He pointed out that such revisions, especially after Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, raised questions about data integrity. When pressed about evidence of data manipulation, Hassett cited the large revisions as tangible proof and mentioned patterns that have led some to questio...