In a decisive move that underscores the ongoing battle for truth in government and fidelity to constitutional governance, President Donald Trump has nominated economist E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Antoni, a stalwart advocate of free markets and fiscal integrity, is a long-time scholar at The Heritage Foundation and a former economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. His nomination is not merely a personnel change—it is a pivotal shift in the federal government’s approach to economic data and transparency, and a victory for those who believe in limited government and the rule of law.
For too long, the American people have been served economic statistics that are manipulated, massaged, and politically weaponized. The recent firing of former BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer by President Trump was a necessary corrective to this deeply rooted problem. As the President rightly noted, McEntarfer “rigged” jobs data in a manner that sought to undermine the administration and mislead the public. This is no small matter. Inaccurate or biased economic reporting distorts public discourse, misguides policy decisions, and erodes the consent of the governed.
The Founders believed in a government that is accountable to the people, not one that manipulates facts to serve a political narrative. The Constitution does not grant the federal bureaucracy unchecked power to obscure the truth. On the contrary, the principles of transparency and accountability are embedded in our system of separated powers and federal oversight. The appointment of E.J. Antoni, a man who has built a career on honest analysis and fiscal conservatism, is a necessary step toward restoring that original constitutional balance.
Antoni brings far more than academic credentials to the role. At Heritage, he has consistently exposed the dangers of runaway federal spending and the corrosive effects of inflation caused by unsound monetary policy. He has been a fearless voice against the encroachment of centralized economic planning and a defender of individual enterprise. His record reflects a deep understanding of how real-world economic indicators—jobs, wages, prices—affect the lives and liberties of Americans.
Why does this matter to the Constitution?
Because a government that manipulates economic data to serve its own ends is one that violates the consent of the governed. The Declaration of Independence charges governments with securing the rights of the people. When bureaucrats falsify or distort economic truths, they deprive the citizenry of the information necessary to hold elected officials accountable. That is not just dishonest—it is unconstitutional in spirit, and corrosive to federalism in practice.
Moreover, this nomination is a reminder that personnel is policy. The administrative state has, for decades, grown into an unaccountable fourth branch of government, issuing regulations and data with the force of law but without the consent of the people. Restoring constitutional order requires more than rhetoric—it requires placing principled, liberty-minded individuals in positions of authority.
E.J. Antoni’s nomination is a case study in how a constitutionalist administration reclaims control of the executive branch and reorients it toward its proper role. The Bureau of Labor Statistics exists to inform, not to mislead. It is there to serve the people, not political agendas. With Antoni at the helm, we can expect data that is not only technically sound but also presented with integrity and transparency.
Senate Republicans—and any Democrats who still believe in the honest administration of government—should move swiftly to confirm Antoni. His leadership will help restore faith in one of the most critical agencies in federal economic oversight. More importantly, it will signal a return to first principles: that government exists to serve the people, not rule them; that truth must always prevail over narrative; and that constitutional order is not a relic of the past, but the foundation of our freedom.
Let this be the beginning of the end for the politicized bureaucracy. Let it be remembered as the moment when the people, through their elected president, took back control of the facts from the faceless administrative elite.
