Who is Brett Matsumoto, Trump’s pick to lead the BLS?

Big changes are possibly ahead for the Bureau of Labor Statistics as President Donald Trump announced Friday night he will nominate Brett Matsumoto. He fired Erika McEntarfer back in August following a poor hiring report. — Image credit: SOPA images

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Summary

Trump announces new pick to lead the BLS

President Donald Trump said Friday night he will nominate economist Brett Matsumoto to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accusing the agency of providing inaccurate data that harms businesses, policymakers and families.

Matsumoto brings deep experience

Matsumoto holds a Ph.D. in economics from UNC, previously worked at the BLS starting in 2015, helped write its inflation handbook, and is currently a senior economist on Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers.

Nomination follows earlier firing, withdrawn pick

Matsumoto is Trump’s second choice since firing former commissioner Erika McEntarfer in August, after an earlier nominee was withdrawn amid bipartisan criticism; if confirmed, he would replace acting commissioner William Wiatrowski.

Full story

Big changes are possibly ahead for the Bureau of Labor Statistics as President Donald Trump announced Friday night he will nominate Brett Matsumoto. He fired Erika McEntarfer back in August following a poor hiring report.

Trump took to social media to make the announcement. He said the BLS has been failing American businesses, policymakers and families with inaccurate numbers.

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“I am confident that Brett has the expertise to QUICKLY fix the long history of issues at the BLS on behalf of the American People,” Trump said.

Matsumoto holds a doctorate in economics from the University of North Carolina. The Washington Post said he is a senior economist on Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers and is currently on leave from the BLS.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Matsumoto started his career at the agency back in 2015. Since then, his focus has been on how the BLS calculates inflation. Matsumoto also helped write pieces of the BLS’ handbook about inflation-measurement techniques.

Matsumoto is Trump’s second pick since August to lead the BLS. Shortly after the firing of McEntarfer the president announced he would appoint E.J. Antoni. However, he withdrew the nomination after it faced bipartisan criticism.

If confirmed, Matsumoto will replace acting Commissioner William Wiatrowski.

What is the BLS?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is responsible for collecting and publishing economic statistics. The bureau measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making. This data is essential to the public, employers, researchers and government organizations.

In 1884, the Bureau of Labor was established in the Department of Interior. For a short time it operated as an independent department.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics became part of the newly created Department of Labor in 1903. However, the BLS operates independently. The nonpartisan staff reports to the appointed commissioner.

Diane Duenez

Diane Duenez is the weekend managing editor at Straight Arrow News. With over 30 years of experience in journalism, Diane has done just about it all. Her accolades include two Emmy awards, Missouri Broadcaster awards, a national NPPA award and the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow award.

Tags: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Donald Trump, Politics

Why this story matters

President Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Matsumoto to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights debates about the independence, trust and accuracy of official government economic data following accusations of political interference. The leadership change at a key federal agency may affect public confidence and the use of economic statistics in policy decisions.

Leadership changes

The removal of the previous BLS commissioner and the nomination of Brett Matsumoto mark significant leadership transitions at an agency central to U.S. economic data, influencing how labor and inflation statistics are gathered and reported.

Data integrity and trust

Concerns about the impartiality and reliability of official labor statistics have arisen after Trump accused the agency of releasing inaccurate or manipulated data, stirring debate among economists and observers over public trust in BLS figures.

Political influence

The story underscores the potential for political pressures to affect independent statistical agencies, as seen by the firing of the prior commissioner, withdrawal of a controversial nominee and broader concerns over maintaining nonpartisan, technical data production.

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Behind the numbers

Several articles note that the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised earlier job growth numbers downward by 818,000 and reported just 73,000 jobs added in July, illustrating the significant role BLS plays in tracking employment trends that affect economic perceptions.

Diverging views

Articles categorized as left highlight that Trump's claims of 'rigged' or manipulated jobs numbers lack evidence and have been refuted by economists, whereas right-leaning pieces more frequently repeat Trump's criticisms and focus less on contesting his claims.

Do the math

The reported July jobs figure was 73,000, with prior months revised down by 258,000 each, totaling approximately 818,000 fewer jobs than previously reported. These statistics triggered the leadership change at BLS.