US watchdog probes Labor Department’s data practices
The US Labor Department’s internal watchdog has launched an investigation into how the agency collects and reports jobs and inflation figures, following sharp criticism from the White House.
The Office of Inspector General said it would examine the “challenges” facing the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in producing accurate reports. The move comes after the BLS revised job figures this week, showing the economy had added 911,000 fewer jobs in the 12 months to March than first estimated — a larger downgrade than expected.
President Donald Trump last month fired the BLS commissioner, accusing her without evidence of manipulating job numbers to hurt him politically. He has since nominated conservative economist EJ Antoni, known for partisan commentary, to lead the agency — a move that has drawn criticism from Democrats and economists.
Concerns have also been raised about recent cuts to BLS advisory panels and reductions in price data collection, which officials attributed to funding and staffing shortfalls. Critics warn these steps, combined with political interference, risk undermining trust in official statistics.
The inspector general has previously reviewed BLS practices, including a 2023 report that found declining survey response rates were limiting data quality and urged greater transparency about assumptions.
The Trump administration insists its goal is to modernise reporting and improve accuracy.
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