The White House has officially withdrawn the nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as confirmed by a White House official and a source from the Associated Press who spoke on the condition of anonymity. This action has not yet been publicly announced, but the Senate received formal paperwork on Tuesday, indicating the withdrawal. The White House representative refrained from providing specific reasons for this decision, instead noting that Antoni is a talented economist. President Donald Trump is expected to announce a new nominee soon.
Antoni's nomination was initially announced in August as part of Trump's strategy to gain more control over the BLS, the agency responsible for generating critical economic data, including the monthly jobs report and the consumer price index, which is essential for measuring inflation. As the chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, Antoni had a history of being a vocal critic of the BLS. However, many economists viewed him as excessively partisan, raising concerns about his ability to lead the federal agency effectively.
Economists have raised alarms about Antoni's qualifications, citing his misinterpretations of economic indicators such as recessions and import prices. Notably, Kyle Pomerleau, a tax expert from the American Enterprise Institute, expressed skepticism on social media after Antoni's nomination, stating, “There are a lot of competent conservative economists that could do this job. E.J. is not one of them.”
Despite the criticisms, Kevin Roberts, the president of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action, defended Antoni, describing him as “one of the sharpest economic minds in the country” and asserting that he was “the right man for the job” at the BLS. However, it was later revealed that Antoni would remain at the Heritage Foundation rather than pursue a role in government.
Worries about Antoni's credibility as an economic scorekeeper were further exacerbated by reports from NBC News, which indicated that he was present at the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, insurrection. Additionally, the decor behind Antoni in televised interviews included artwork of the German battleship Bismarck, which was associated with the Nazis during World War II. Financial disclosures revealed that Antoni earned over $495,000 for his work at the Heritage Foundation, not including additional earnings from speeches and consulting engagements.
The White House's decision to withdraw Antoni’s nomination follows Trump's dismissal of Erika McEntarfer as BLS commissioner on August 1, after a troubling July jobs report indicated a sharp slowdown in hiring. With job gains for May and June revised downward, the White House has emphasized the importance of accurate economic reporting, despite Trump’s claims on social media that the numbers were manipulated to politically disadvantage him. Since Trump announced country-by-country tariffs, the average monthly job gains have fallen below 27,000, prompting the Federal Reserve to lower its benchmark interest rate in September to stabilize the job market.
Additionally, on the same day as Antoni's withdrawal, the White House also rescinded the nomination of Brian Quintenz to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The White House official characterized Quintenz as a trusted ally and indicated that a new nominee would be announced shortly.
CNN was the first to report on the withdrawal of E.J. Antoni’s nomination, highlighting the ongoing political and economic implications of these developments.
