Politics

Trump’s BLS Pick Axed: Why Social Media May Have Cost Antoni the Job

White House withdrew Antoni’s BLS nomination due to social media and lack of Senate support. Trump plans a new nominee.

September 30, 2025, 11:40 PM

Donald Trump seated at a table, looking ahead with a serious, focused expression

President Donald Trump in a formal meeting, with a US flag behind him, at the White House. By noamgalai / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

E.J. Antoni’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics was withdrawn following reports of controversial social media activity and a lack of support from key Republican senators.

President Trump initially nominated Antoni after controversially firing the previous BLS commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, over unsubstantiated claims of manipulated jobs data.

The White House praised Antoni and stated that President Trump plans to announce another nominee soon, citing a commitment to “fixing” perceived failures at the BLS.

The Story So Far

President Trump had previously fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner over unsubstantiated claims of manipulated jobs data, expressing a commitment to “fixing the longstanding failures at the BLS that have undermined the public’s trust in critical economic data.” This context explains Trump’s motivation for nominating E.J. Antoni to lead the agency; however, Antoni’s nomination was ultimately withdrawn due to significant opposition from key Republican senators following reports of his controversial social media activity.

Why This Matters

The withdrawal of E.J. Antoni’s nomination for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner, following reports of controversial social media and a lack of Senate support, highlights the intense scrutiny political nominees face and signals ongoing challenges for President Trump in filling key independent agency roles. This situation, coupled with Trump’s stated intent to “fix” the BLS, continues to raise concerns about the potential politicization of critical economic data and its impact on public trust in non-partisan institutions.

Who Thinks What?

The White House, representing President Trump, praised E.J. Antoni as a “brilliant economist and an American patriot” and plans to announce another nominee soon, reiterating Trump’s commitment to “fixing the longstanding failures at the BLS.”

Key Republican Senators, including Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Bill Cassidy, signaled a lack of support for Antoni’s nomination due to his controversial social media activity, effectively halting the confirmation process.

The article implies a viewpoint concerned with the integrity and independence of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, highlighting its role as a non-partisan body and the intensified concerns about the politicization of US institutions following the previous commissioner’s controversial firing.

The White House has withdrawn the nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) following reports of controversial social media activity and a lack of support from key Republican senators. The decision comes months after President Trump nominated Antoni, having previously ousted the BLS’s former commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, over unsubstantiated claims of manipulated jobs data.

Nomination Withdrawal and Senate Resistance

Three sources confirmed to CNN that paperwork was sent to the Senate to officially withdraw Antoni’s nomination. The move followed CNN’s KFile report earlier this month detailing Antoni’s since-deleted Twitter account, which featured sexually degrading attacks, derogatory remarks, and conspiracy theories.

GOP Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski reportedly declined to meet with Antoni, signaling significant trouble for his confirmation. Senator Bill Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, indicated that the absence of a scheduled confirmation hearing meant the nomination was not progressing.

White House Stance and Future Plans

Despite the withdrawal, a White House official praised Antoni, calling him a “brilliant economist and an American patriot.” The official stated that President Trump plans to announce another nominee for the post soon, reiterating Trump’s commitment to “fixing the longstanding failures at the BLS that have undermined the public’s trust in critical economic data.”

Antoni, who had publicly presented himself as a proponent of government accountability, saw his digital footprint reveal a pattern of incendiary rhetoric. When the KFile report first emerged, the White House defended Antoni without directly addressing the content of his past social media posts.

Context of BLS Leadership

President Trump initially nominated Antoni in August after controversially firing the previous commissioner, Erika McEntarfer. Trump accused McEntarfer, without providing evidence, of rigging jobs data following a weak July jobs report and significant downward revisions to previous months’ figures.

This firing, coupled with President Trump’s past interventions regarding the independence of the Federal Reserve, intensified concerns about the politicization of US institutions. These bodies are designed to provide reliable, non-partisan statistics crucial to the nation’s economic health.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and Data Integrity

Established in 1884, the BLS operates as an independently managed body within the US Department of Labor, overseen by a Senate-confirmed commissioner. Its reports, which draw on data from across the economy, are among the most closely watched indicators for the world’s largest economy.

The job data revisions that sparked President Trump’s anger are a regular occurrence in BLS history. The agency introduced a new probability-based sample design for revisions in 2003, and monthly revisions are a standard part of the process, reflecting the challenge of generating complete reports rapidly for market demands.