The Trump administration said this week that several key pieces of U.S. economic data for October, including inflation and employment figures, will not be released.
The White House cited the prolonged government shutdown, saying it left statistical agencies unable to gather or verify the information. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that the Bureau of Labor Statistics could not complete its usual surveys during the 40-plus days the government was shuttered.
“All of that economic data will be permanently impaired,” Leavitt said, blaming Democrats’ refusal to agree to the administration’s budget demands. She added that the opposition had “permanently damaged the federal statistical system.
“Americans know the economy is bad,” Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., responded on social media. “Trump is trying to cover up the numbers, but we all have eyes, ears, and bank accounts.”
“They don’t want to release the dismal inflation or jobs numbers for October and are claiming that it’s the fault of the Democrats,” added Ron Filpowski, the editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch.
The BLS typically conducts two major surveys each month to produce the jobs report: one polling businesses to estimate payroll growth, and another asking households about employment status to calculate the unemployment rate. While much of the business-side data can be reconstructed, officials say, the household survey, which relies on reaching people directly, was impossible to conduct retroactively without risking unreliable results.
A report from the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas last week estimated that U.S. employers cut more than 150,000 jobs in October.
“Trump is wrecking our economy,” wrote Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo, on X at the time, “153,000 jobs lost last month — the worst October record in over 20 years. Higher prices and fewer jobs. Some golden age, huh?”
Kevin Hassett, who heads the National Economic Council, said Thursday on Fox News that the government may still release “half the employment report” but not the unemployment rate.
“We’ll never actually know for sure what the unemployment rate was in October,” Hassett said.
