A New Leader for U.S. Labor Statistics

President Donald Trump has moved to nominate Brett Matsumoto as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, elevating a career economist who has worked at the agency since 2015 and who earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Matsumoto has spent time on detail at the White House Council of Economic Advisers, and his resume shows extensive work in price indexes and research within the Bureau.

The agency has operated without a permanent leader since President Trump dismissed Erika McEntarfer on August 1, 2025, after a jobs report revealed weaker data and large downward revisions. William Wiatrowski has been serving as acting commissioner, and the nomination will require Senate confirmation before becoming official. If the Senate confirms Matsumoto, he would become the sole political appointee charged with overseeing data that influence Federal Reserve decisions and private markets.

Many observers have worried about the bureau’s capacity in recent months, since hiring freezes and budget limits have reduced staff for labor and price surveys; these constraints were cited as factors that complicated last year’s data work and a brief interruption in routine data collection. Nevertheless, a commissioner who knows the agency’s internal methods could help explain technical choices, defend methodological continuity, and reassure users who depend on consistent statistics.

While initial accounts first appeared in major newspapers, some outlets noted unverified details; still, public officials and market analysts will watch the confirmation process closely, because the BLS’s credibility is central to economic planning and forecasting.