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What's next after the BLS chief's firing? A former staffer weighs in

NPR

By Lauren Hodges,

Ailsa Chang, John Ketchum

Published August 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM EDT

Last week, president trump fired Erika McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, after a revision to previous jobs reports. What does this action mean for the agency and for the future of U.S. labor data, which is considered the gold standard for economists?

Copyright 2025 NPR

Lauren Hodges

Lauren Hodges is an associate producer for All Things Considered. She joined the show in 2018 after seven years in the NPR newsroom as a producer and editor. She doesn't mind that you used her pens, she just likes them a certain way and asks that you put them back the way you found them, thanks. Despite years working on interviews with notable politicians, public figures, and celebrities for NPR, Hodges completely lost her cool when she heard RuPaul's voice and was told to sit quietly in a corner during the rest of the interview. She promises to do better next time.

See stories by Lauren Hodges

Ailsa Chang

Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist who hosts All Things Considered along with Ari Shapiro, Audie Cornish, and Mary Louise Kelly. She landed in public radio after practicing law for a few years.

See stories by Ailsa Chang

John Ketchum

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