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ModerateCharacter & DishonestySecond Term

Trump's Pick to Run the BLS, January 6 Participant EJ Antoni, Is Withdrawn After Mounting Opposition

On August 11, 2025, ten days after firing BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, Trump announced on Truth Social that he was nominating EJ Antoni, a Heritage Foundation economist, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which produces the nation's employment and inflation data. Video shows him on both west and east sides of Capitol grounds January 6, 2021. Previously suggested BLS should stop publishing monthly job reports. CNN KFile revealed deleted Twitter account with sexually degrading attacks on Kamala Harris, derogatory remarks about gay people, and conspiracy theories.

GOP Sens. Collins and Murkowski declined to meet. The White House withdrew the nomination on September 30, 2025, after it had come under scrutiny over his presence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Correction (October 27, 2026): this entry was dated August 1, 2025, the day McEntarfer was fired. Trump announced the nomination on August 11, 2025 (CNBC) and the White House withdrew it on September 30, 2025 (NBC News); the date and key facts now say so.


  • 01August 11, 2025: Trump announced the nomination of EJ Antoni, a Heritage Foundation economist, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • 02Present at Capitol on January 6, 2021 - Video shows him on both west and east sides of Capitol grounds
  • 03Frequent guest on Steve Bannon's 'War Room' podcast
  • 04Previously suggested BLS should stop publishing monthly job reports - wanted quarterly reports instead
  • 05CNN KFile investigation revealed Antoni operated deleted Twitter account with sexually degrading attacks on Kamala Harris
  • 06Deleted account included derogatory remarks about gay people, and conspiracy theories
  • 07GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski declined to meet with Antoni
  • 08September 30, 2025: the White House withdrew the nomination
  • 09Raised concerns about politicizing economic statistics and appointing January 6 participants to key positions

Verified across 5 sources — investigations, news reports