The Economics Show Can we still trust US economic data? With Erica Groshen
Aug 8, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Erica Groshen, former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics under President Obama, sheds light on the growing distrust in U.S. economic data. She and John Burn-Murdoch dive into the fallout from political interference, such as the dismissal of a BLS head and its impact on data integrity. They explore how funding cuts and reduced survey response rates undermine data collection, highlight the risks to economic decision-making, and underscore the critical need for reliable economic indicators amidst a cooling labor market.
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Firing Damages Trust In Statistics
- President Trump fired the BLS commissioner after a jobs report, undermining public confidence in official data.
- The administration presented no evidence for manipulation, intensifying concerns about politicizing statistics.
Commissioner's Role Is Neutral And Public-Facing
- Erica Groshen says the commissioner steers strategy and represents the agency externally.
- She emphasizes the role is not to adjust or manipulate statistics.
Data Must Not Serve Enforcement
- Erica Groshen stresses that BLS data must only be used for statistical purposes, not enforcement.
- She warns using statistics for enforcement violates ethics and damages data quality.
