Trump vs. the Bureau of Labor Statistics

The podcast episode of "The Journal" discusses the controversy surrounding the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) after President Trump publicly criticized and fired its commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, alleging data manipulation following a weak jobs report and revisions indicating fewer jobs added in previous months. The report highlights the importance of the BLS as a nonpartisan agency and the unusual nature of the president's political spin on its data. The episode further explores the challenges the BLS faces, including declining survey response rates, funding issues, and a federal hiring freeze, while also addressing concerns about potential political influence on future job reports and the agency's overall stability.