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US President Donald Trump has nominated economist Brett Matsumoto as the new head of the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), months after dismissing the agency’s former chief, Erika McEntarfer, over disappointing employment data.
Trump announced the nomination on Friday via his Truth Social platform, saying Matsumoto, currently a White House economic adviser, would replace the previous leadership at the labour statistics agency.
The BLS, which operates under the Department of Labour, is responsible for compiling monthly employment figures and other key economic indicators that are closely monitored as a measure of the state of the US economy.
The move follows Trump’s controversial decision last August to sack BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer barely a year into her four-year term.
At the time, the US President reportedly accused her, without providing evidence, of manipulating weak jobs figures released the previous month.
Trump later tapped conservative economist E.J. Antoni for the role, but his nomination stalled due to opposition from some Republican lawmakers.
Matsumoto’s nomination will now go before the US Senate for confirmation.
According to reports by the New York Times, he previously worked at the BLS, brings extensive institutional experience to the role, and has no known record of partisan political activity.
