Trump picks new head for Bureau of Labor Statistics

The president said he was nominating EJ Antoni, a federal budget analyst at the Heritage Foundation, to be commissioner of the key economic institution.

"Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE," he posted on Truth Social.

Earlier in August Trump fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, claiming she had "rigged" jobs figures to make him look bad, an accusation that drew sharp criticism from economists across the political spectrum.

The US Senate, which is controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans, needs to confirm the appointment.

Antoni, who has a PhD in economics, has previously criticised the BLS, questioning its methodology and calling its statistics "phoney baloney".