August 6, 2025
Article from MarketWatch by Greg Robb
Article Synopsis
President Trump’s firing of the top Labor Department statistician has raised alarm over the politicization and potential degradation of the integrity of U.S. economic data – an essential part of the nation’s infrastructure developed over the past century. Accurate government statistics, like the unemployment rate and inflation data, are crucial for setting policy, determining Social Security payouts, and guiding financial markets.
The move has sparked concerns that future data could be manipulated for political gain, undermining public trust and introducing dangerous uncertainty into the economy. Experts warn that while one firing alone won’t dismantle the system, the direction of change threatens the credibility of data that underpins $30 trillion in economic activity.
