Who is EJ Antoni? Trump’s new pick to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics which compiles jobs and inflation data

President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to head the agency that compiles and publishes the nation's employment and inflation figures. “Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE,” Trump said on social media late Monday (August 11, 2025).



Antoni, if approved by the Senate, would replace Erika McEntarfer, who was appointed commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics by former President Joe Biden. Trump fired McEntarfer on August 1, 2025, after the July jobs report showed hiring slowed sharply this spring, with job gains in May and June revised much lower than initially estimated.


Trump accused McEntarfer, without evidence, of rigging the jobs data for political reasons. The announcement comes one day before the BLS is scheduled to release the latest inflation data for July. It is forecast to show that consumer prices rose for the third straight month as tariffs are pushing up the cost of many imported goods.

Who is EJ Antoni

E.J. Antoni is the Chief Economist and Richard Aster Fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, according to the Heritage Foundation website. He earned his master’s and doctorate in economics from Northern Illinois University.

Antoni’s work has been featured in a variety of news outlets, including Fox News and Fox Business, the Wall Street Journal, Townhall, Bloomberg, the Daily Caller, National Review, CNBC, the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, Breitbart, The Federalist, and others.

According to the Heritage Foundation, he is a daily guest on news and business television and regularly appears on many podcasts and radio programs, including the nationally syndicated VINCE Show, where he is the in-house economist.

Dr. Antoni’s work has been featured with numerous think tanks and institutes, including Unleash Prosperity, where he is a senior fellow. He also frequently presents his research in testimony before the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Previously, he was an economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and has taught courses ranging from labor economics to money and banking. Antoni holds master’s and doctoral degrees in Economics and regularly speaks at colleges and financial institutions.