Former BLS commissioners from both parties have condemned Trump's firing as unprecedented.

Question

Accepted Answer

The Friends of BLS — co-chaired by William Beach (Trump's first-term BLS commissioner), Erica Groshen (Obama's BLS commissioner), and Paul Schroeder — issued a joint statement on Aug. 1, 2025. Beach, a conservative economist who served under Trump from 2018 to 2024, called the firing rationale "without merit" and stated it "undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics." His willingness to break with his former boss is significant: Beach had no political incentive to condemn the firing unless the professional breach was severe. The condemnation from across the political spectrum — Trump-era and Obama-era officials together, Wall Street analysts, academic economists — distinguished this firing from ordinary partisan disagreement.

Former BLS commissioners from both parties have condemned Trump's firing as unprecedented.

Explanation

Sources

Related Questions

PRINCIPLE

EXPLORE

RESOURCES