Trump Administration Withdraws E.J. Antoni’s BLS Nomination, Signals New Picks

The White House has officially withdrawn the controversial nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), according to sources familiar with the decision. The move, which saw formal paperwork submitted to the Senate on Tuesday, comes amidst significant scrutiny over Antoni’s partisan views and economic analyses.

Antoni, previously a chief economist at The Heritage Foundation, was a vocal critic of the BLS. His nomination, announced in August, was widely seen as an attempt by the Trump administration to exert greater control over the federal agency responsible for crucial economic indicators like the monthly jobs report and the Consumer Price Index. Critics, including many economists, raised concerns about Antoni’s credibility, citing his perceived misreads on recessions and import prices, and his presence near the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, events.

While the White House declined to specify reasons for the withdrawal, an official praised Antoni as a “talented economist” and confirmed President Donald Trump plans to announce a new nominee shortly. Kevin Roberts, president of The Heritage Foundation, affirmed Antoni would remain at the conservative think tank.

In a related development, the administration also withdrew the nomination of Brian Quintenz to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Tuesday, with a new nominee also expected for that role. These withdrawals follow a period of heightened tension between the White House and federal economic agencies, with President Trump having previously expressed skepticism about BLS data accuracy.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.