Job growth slows down in the initial employment report following the dismissal of the commissioner under the Trump administration

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced on Friday that the country added 22,000 jobs in August, marking a significant decrease from the 79,000 jobs added in July and a major cooldown from the roughly 196,000 jobs added on average over the previous three-month period. This lower-than-expected reading could cement a potential interest rate cut.

President Donald Trump, in response to the weak jobs report, nominated E.J. Antoni as a replacement for Erika McEntarfer, who was dismissed from her position as Commissioner of the BLS. Antoni, the chief economist at the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation, is a longtime critic of the BLS.

Trump described Antoni as someone who will ensure that the numbers released by the BLS are honest and accurate. Antoni is also a contributor to the conservative policy blueprint Project 2025.

McEntarfer, a Biden appointee, served as Commissioner of the BLS for two decades. Her dismissal was condemned by William Beach, a former commissioner of the BLS appointed by Trump. McEntarfer did not respond to a request for comment from the website.

The jobs report included a downward revision for the month of June, saying the U.S. labor market had lost 13,000 jobs that month. As of Friday morning, the odds of a quarter-point cut had risen to 99%.

The unemployment rate in August was 4.3%. This marks the first monthly job loss since December 2020.

Antoni's nomination follows his criticism of the BLS following McEntarfer's dismissal, which sparked strong criticism in the U.S. Antoni's appointment is expected to face scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.