According to Axios, U.S. President Trump stated that he would fire the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) because the independent government agency released weak employment data for July and revised down the data for the previous month. The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed that Director Erika McEntarfer was 'fired' on Friday and appointed longtime BLS official William Wiatrowski as acting director. Trump stated on Truth Social that this 'Biden political appointee' would be replaced by 'someone more capable and qualified,' and he baselessly accused McEntarfer of distorting data for political purposes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed that the U.S. added only 73,000 jobs in July and significantly revised down the employment growth estimates for May and June. Former BLS director William Beach stated that firing McEntarfer 'sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.'