Christie

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) criticized President Trump for firing a commissioner for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), saying the president acted like a “grunt-tempered child.”

Foy, the president’s long-time ally, said he was not surprised that the president blamed the messenger for the difference in work data on Friday.

“When he gets the news, he doesn’t like someone because he won’t take responsibility for it himself,” Christie said in ABC News’ “This Week.”

“It’s the action of a grumpy kid,” he continued. “It’s like, ‘You give me bad news, I fired the messenger.'”

The president fired BLS Commissioner Erika Mcentarfer after the Labor Department released data showing that only 73,000 jobs added in July, much lower than economists’ expectations. The department reported a startling revision of labor data in May and June, which overall was 258,000 less than previously reported work.

Christie, who ran for president in 2024, said he understood the importance of employment to policy decisions, but said the BLS chief was not entirely responsible for the data.

“It seems impossible for me to try to manipulate these numbers in the eight years of my tenure as governor because so many people are involved to put them together,” Christie said on ABC.

He continued: “Ultimately, when it comes to the Director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the woman who was fired, when that happens, all she does is the channel of information. She can’t start over and start liners and ranks.”

Christie added: “So it’s irresponsible from a factual standpoint, but it also shows you how he manages it.”

Trump defended his decision to fire the BLS chief and said he would find a new guy in the coming days.

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