President Donald Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, the head of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following the release of a report indicating a sharp slowdown in U.S. job growth during the summer of 2025. Trump accused McEntarfer of manipulating employment data to make his administration appear unfavorable, a claim that has been disputed by former BLS officials and economists. The firing broke a longstanding tradition of non-interference in the agency, raising concerns among investors, policymakers, and economists about the reliability and integrity of U.S. economic data. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the decision, citing data errors and the need for a revamp of the agency. Critics, including former BLS heads and financial experts, warn that the move could undermine confidence in economic statistics that are crucial for market stability and policymaking. The controversy has also sparked broader debates about the politicization of economic data, with Trump presenting alternative statistics that he claims are less biased than official figures. The episode has drawn comparisons to practices in other countries where government data manipulation is more common, further fueling concerns about the future credibility of U.S. economic reporting.