Larry Summers Condemns Trump’s Firing of BLS Chief Amid Controversial Jobs Report

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers sharply criticized President Donald Trump following the dismissal of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner amid disappointing employment data. Trump dismissed Erika McEntarfer after July's jobs report revealed only 73,000 new jobs—significantly below the predicted 109,000—and revisions downward for previous months. Trump accused McEntarfer of manipulating the figures to cast him and the Republican Party in a negative light. Summers expressed concern on ABC News, warning that such actions threaten democratic institutions. He stated, “Firing statisticians and attacking media and universities are hallmarks of authoritarianism.” He further compared the situation to the Nixon era, highlighting the gravity of dismissing officials responsible for national data. Since taking office, Trump has engaged in a broad campaign against perceived opponents, including targeting universities with funding cuts and investigations, as well as suing media outlets over unfavorable stories. Summers emphasized the unlikelihood that the BLS chief could have manipulated the data, given the collaborative effort of hundreds of employees involved in producing...