Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee pledges data independence amid Trump criticism

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BLS nominee pledges data independence

Highlights

Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee Matsumoto pledges to maintain data integrity and resist White House pressure following Trump's sacking of Erika McEntarfer after a weak jobs report.
Matsumoto warns senators that declining survey participation and tighter resources threaten the long-term reliability of BLS data and is considering incentives to improve response rates.
He signals openness to methodological changes, including adopting company payrolls, tax data, and AI tools, as survey-based models risk becoming unsustainable for labor market analysis.

Confirmation hearing focuses on agency independence

As reported by Financial Times, Matsumoto tells a Congressional hearing on Wednesday that he would maintain the integrity and independence of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while declining to directly address Trump's attacks on former commissioner Erika McEntarfer.

When asked whether data had been "faked" at any point during his time at the agency, Matsumoto says larger revisions can have technical explanations, but adds that he does not believe the numbers were falsified. He also says that if pressured by Trump to produce statistics favorable to the administration, he would follow the law and ensure that figures compiled by career staff are released to the public on schedule.

Trump sacked McEntarfer in September after a weak jobs report that he said was rigged against him. He also alleged, without evidence, that the agency had faked numbers before the 2024 presidential election to help Kamala Harris. Trump's first choice for the post, Heritage Foundation economist EJ Antoni, was later withdrawn after criticism from both Democrats and Republicans over his qualifications.

Matsumoto, nominated in January and still awaiting Senate confirmation, previously spent about a decade as a BLS economist after earning a PhD from the University of North Carolina. He took leave from the agency to serve on the White House Council of Economic Advisers during both Trump terms, while longtime BLS official William Wiatrowski is currently acting commissioner.

Survey weakness raises risks for U.S. data quality

Matsumoto is set to take over the agency at a time when tighter resources and falling survey participation are challenging its ability to provide comprehensive readings on the health of the world's largest economy. He warns senators that deteriorating response rates threaten the future reliability of a survey-based statistical system and says he wants to explore ways to improve participation, including possible incentives.

He says the bureau could eventually reach a point where it does not have enough respondents to produce a representative sample, adding that the survey-based model may have an end date. To broaden the agency's view of the labor market, Matsumoto says he would consider using other data sources such as company payrolls and tax withholding data, and would also examine methodological changes and the possible use of AI tools.

Our earlier coverage of the Senate confirmation hearing examined the push to fill key roles at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Labor Relations Board, with Republicans arguing that leadership changes could stabilize labor policy and improve confidence in federal data. In that piece, Sen. Bill Cassidy highlighted Brett Matsumoto’s nomination and said large, delayed jobs-report revisions can fuel market swings, making accuracy and transparency at the BLS a central concern.

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