Trump’s New BLS Chief Faces Intense Scrutiny, Shrunken Workforce

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has shrunk since Brett Matsumoto left it a year ago — but the job he’s poised to take on is bigger than ever.

In Matsumoto, President Donald Trump has chosen a leader for the data agency who enjoys backing from the wider wonk community – something that looked unlikely last year when they were all up in arms. Trump had fired the previous chief, saying without evidence she was rigging the numbers, then named a MAGA loyalist as her replacement before backing away from the pick.

But Matsumoto, who’s been on leave and serving as ...