President Donald Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after a report showed weak job growth and a small increase in the unemployment rate.
"I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," Trump said on Truth Social of Erika McEntarfer. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified."
"In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad," Trump said without evidence.
The unusual move came a day after Trump imposed sweeping new tariffs on imports from across the world, escalating an aggressive trade policy aimed at spurring domestic manufacturing in the United States.
U.S. stocks were lower on August 1, ahead of what turned out to be a disappointing July jobs report that saw unemployment rise from 4.1% to 4.2%.