How exactly does the BLS assemble the critical jobs report? And what is the commissioner’s role? Here’s what we know.

The bad news in last Friday’s jobs report may have been overshadowed when President Donald Trump fired the commissioner in charge of producing it. But economists haven’t forgotten about America’s job market – and they’re growing concerned.

In firing the head of the agency that produces monthly jobs figures, President Donald Trump alleged that the recent weaker-than-expected numbers were phony and that positive numbers reported before the 2024 election were manipulated to make him look bad.