Trump lauds 'incredible' economy as he uses giant charts to discredit BLS data after red-flag jobs report
This is HUGE! Trump just had Stephen Moore in the Oval Office and they went through just how HORRIBLE the BLS data has been.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) August 7, 2025
Trump was right to fire the head!
"That's a GIGANTIC ERROR, if it was an error, it would one thing. I don't think it's an error. I think they did it… pic.twitter.com/vvlcrgVbrE
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump brought economist Steve Moore into the Oval Office on Thursday, August 7, to present newly compiled economic data that seemingly portrays a significantly stronger economy under Trump’s second term.
The move came just days after Trump abruptly fired Dr Erika McEntarfer, head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), accusing her of manipulating jobs reports to damage his image.
While Moore, of conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, unveiled previously unreleased figures he says support Trump’s economic success, critics warn that the president is politicizing government data to control the narrative.
Trump and Stephen Moore claim economy thriving after new BLS shake-up
Standing beside Trump at the White House, Moore began the presentation by thanking the president and introducing what he called “very good news from some new data that we’ve been able to put together that no one has ever seen before.”
Trump, meanwhile, suggested the BLS had deliberately manipulated previous job numbers: “In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad.” Referring to a major post-election revision in November 2024, Trump added, “That’s a TOTAL SCAM.”
Moore praised Trump for replacing the BLS chief, claiming the Biden-era bureau had overestimated job creation by 1.5 million. “That’s a gigantic error,” Moore said. “It might not have been an error,” Trump interjected. “I think they did it purposely.”
Using unpublished Census Bureau data, Moore said that inflation-adjusted median household income has risen by $1,174 since Trump took office in January. “That’s an incredible number,” Trump said, holding up a chart. “Just came out. Just came up. So that’s a giant gain.”
Moore also compared income gains under Trump and Biden, saying: “We saw a $6,400 real after-inflation gain in income for the average family” during Trump’s first term, compared to “a measly $551” under Biden. “You gained 10 times more income for the average family than Joe Biden,” he told Trump.
Trump says Biden-era BLS ‘rigged’ past jobs numbers
In his criticism of McEntarfer and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Trump pointed to the downward revision of 818,000 jobs after the 2024 election.
“Just like when they had three great days around the 2024 Presidential Election, and then, those numbers were ‘taken away’... A TOTAL SCAM,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell is no better!”
Moore emphasized that whether or not the errors were intentional, they revealed serious flaws. “Even if it wasn’t purposeful, it’s incompetence,” he said.
Trump’s decision to fire McEntarfer has triggered a wave of concern from economists and watchdogs. Many argue that the president is now installing loyalists to generate flattering economic reports, eroding the credibility of future statistics.
“The good news is, our Country is doing GREAT!” Trump declared. But others warned the politicization of official data could have long-term consequences.
As one analyst noted, if federal agencies are pressured to conform to political narratives, public trust in key institutions may collapse.
