The Trump administration is reportedly set to retract the nomination of Dr. E.J. Antoni, an economist from the Heritage Foundation, for the position of head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
This development follows allegations that surfaced regarding Antoni's past social media activity, which included offensive remarks about former Vice President Kamala Harris and derogatory comments about the LGBTQ+ community.
According to Breitbart, CNN's KFile recently highlighted these allegations, leading to the decision to withdraw Antoni's nomination. A White House official praised Antoni as a "brilliant economist and an American patriot," while confirming that President Donald Trump would soon announce a new candidate for the BLS leadership.
The official stated, "Dr EJ Antoni is a brilliant economist and an American patriot that will continue to do good work on behalf of our great country." They further emphasized President Trump's dedication to addressing the "longstanding failures at the BLS that have undermined the publics trust in critical economic data."
The controversy surrounding Antoni's nomination was compounded by reports that Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski had declined to meet with him, suggesting potential hurdles for his confirmation. CNN reached out to both the White House and Antoni for comments on the situation. Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, expressed unwavering support for Antoni, describing him as "one of the sharpest economic minds in the country."
Roberts asserted, "E.J.s immense capabilities and insightful economic analysis have not changedand we are very proud to have him on our team." He also noted the necessity for reform within the BLS, stating, "It is undeniable that BLS needs reform and @RealEJAntoni was the right man for the job."
The decision to withdraw Antoni's nomination follows President Trump's earlier announcement in August, appointing Antoni as the BLS commissioner after dismissing Dr. Erika McEntarfer. McEntarfer, a nominee of President Biden, was accused by Trump of manipulating employment data to favor Harris's 2024 presidential campaign.
This accusation came in the wake of what Trump described as "dismal jobs reports," further fueling the administration's push for change within the BLS.
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