Criticism of BLS Under Biden Administration
On Friday, economist Steve Moore shared his concerns on Fox Business about key Biden administration appointments at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), highlighting what he described as a significant miscalculation in U.S. job data reporting.
Former President Donald Trump announced he has ordered the dismissal of BLS Commissioner Erica Mantelfer, claiming she manipulated job figures following the July employment reports. Moore, speaking on “The Bottom Line,” noted that the BLS revised job creation figures multiple times, and the downward adjustment could be as high as 500,000.
“I’ve been informed by BLS sources that they plan to re-evaluate these numbers over time. It’s encouraging that they might correct Biden’s job creation figures by another 500,000 or so. These are substantial errors,” Moore stated.
Additionally, Moore criticized how the Biden administration has managed the BLS, particularly pointing out the removal of key reforms initiated by Bill Beach. He argued that Beach’s firing allowed current leadership to dismantle measures designed to enhance data accuracy and transparency.
Moore remarked, “My good friend, Bill Beach, used to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but after he was let go by Biden, all the reforms aimed at improving procedures were revoked under her leadership.” He mentioned that Mantelfer’s reliability in estimating job numbers is questionable and that the data produced during her tenure lacks consistency.
“I can’t really judge whether she’s involved in political motives or not, but I can say she hasn’t been effective in her role,” he commented.
The U.S. economy reported 73,000 non-farm payroll jobs added in July, falling short of the expected 100,000. The unemployment rate edged up slightly to 4.2%, even as the economy recorded a 3.0% GDP growth rate in the second quarter of 2025.
Before the job data release, analysts estimated the U.S. economy would add around 100,000 jobs in July, reflecting the recent GDP increase. Manufacturing output saw a minor uptick in June, while unemployment claims continued to trend downward. President Trump has vowed to bolster the economy in his upcoming term.
