Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update)

Since his return to office, President Trump has waged something of a pressure campaign on economic data and the people in charge of delivering it. His firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner following a weak jobs report now has some wondering: can we still trust the official numbers? Today on the show, we're resharing our conversation with former BLS commissioner, Erica Groshen on her current fears for the integrity of government data. <em>The </em><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/07/1236538089/doge-gdp-bls-department-of-labor-jobs-report" target="_blank"><em>original version</em></a><em> of this story aired March 7, 2025.</em> <br /><br /><strong>Related: <br /></strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/08/04/1256727558/trump-fires-bls-director-jobs-report" target="_blank">What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics? (Update)</a> (<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-indicator-from-planet-money/id1320118593?i=1000720277395" target="_blank">Apple</a> / <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/057UFl8X91tpCDfT9oGdzK?si=5dbfc7305e5a4a49" target="_blank">Spotify</a>) <br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/08/01/1256575142/trust-economics-trump-bls-bureau-labor-statistics-jobs" target="_blank">Would you trust an economist with your economy?</a> (<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?i=1000720290749" target="_blank">Apple</a> / <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7J7g5dLgJbtUic6f4yCb9Z?si=526eb4a533254c9e" target="_blank">Spotify</a>) <br /><br /><em>For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/" target="_blank"><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. <br /><br />Fact-checking by </em><a href="https://www.npr.org/people/g-s1-26724/sierra-juarez" target="_blank"><em>Sierra Juarez</em></a><em>. Music by </em><a href="https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><em>Drop Electric</em></a><em>. Find us: </em><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>TikTok</em></a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/" target="_blank"><em>Instagram</em></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money" target="_blank"><em>Newsletter</em></a><em>. </em><br /><br />See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>