President Donald Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after a dismal jobs report was revised down by 90%, alleging the numbers were “rigged.” The U.S. positions nuclear submarines in response to threats from a former Russian leader as Trump’s deadline for peace talks with Putin approaches. The controversy over a Sydney Sweeney ad escalates, highlighting a broader cultural shift away from DEI under the Trump administration.
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Trump Ousts Labor Chief After Dismal Jobs Report
Topline: President Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday after the agency released a dismal jobs report and dramatically revised down its numbers from previous months.
On Friday, the Labor Department released a report showing the U.S. economy added only 73,000 jobs in July, falling well short of the 100,000 projection. More alarmingly, the agency announced that its job numbers for May and June had been overestimated by 90%, revising the initial report of 291,000 jobs down to just 33,000. President Trump immediately responded with a statement declaring that “the jobs were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad.” He then fired Erika McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accusing her of releasing similarly inaccurate reports before the 2024 election “in the hopes of getting ‘Kamala’ elected.”
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett defended the move, stating, “What we need is a fresh set of eyes at the BLS. Someone who can clean this thing up.” Democrats and other critics, like former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, called the president’s charge “preposterous,” arguing that it would be impossible for the head of the BLS to manipulate the data.
Despite the sluggish job growth, the White House pointed to positive underlying trends in the labor market. Since President Trump took office, 100% of net job growth has been among American-born workers and has occurred in the private sector. Under the previous administration, 100% of net job growth was among foreign-born workers, while about 25% of all jobs created were in government.
U.S. Positions Nuclear Subs After Russian Threats
Topline: President Trump has ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines to be repositioned in response to inflammatory nuclear rhetoric from former Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev.
Medvedev, who often serves as a provocateur for the Kremlin, recently made statements alluding to a last-ditch nuclear weapons response. In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said he ordered the submarines into position as a precaution, in case Medvedev’s “foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” adding, “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences.”
While the specific submarines and their locations have not been disclosed, the U.S. Navy possesses 14 Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines. Each one can carry up to 20 Trident ballistic missiles armed with multiple nuclear warheads, capable of striking Moscow from thousands of miles away. The move is being seen as a signal from Trump that he will not tolerate threats from Russia, a harder line than the previous administration’s focus on de-escalation.
This comes as Trump’s new August 8 deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to enter into peace talks with Ukraine is fast approaching. If Russia misses the deadline, the president has the authority to implement massive new sanctions and increase weapons shipments to Ukraine.
‘Great Jeans’ Ad Highlights Anti-DEI Shift
Topline: The ongoing controversy over an American Eagle ad featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has become a cultural flashpoint, highlighting the Trump administration’s aggressive push to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
Since taking office, President Trump has signed executive orders terminating DEI mandates in the federal government and requiring federal contractors to comply with anti-discrimination laws. The administration has also put universities on notice that they will lose federal grants if they employ DEI in admissions or hiring.
The American Eagle ad, which features the traditionally beautiful actress and a voiceover with a pun on “jeans” and “genes,” sparked a media firestorm. An MSNBC column claimed it signaled an “unbridled cultural shift toward Whiteness,” while other outlets accused the company of promoting eugenics and even “Nazi propaganda.”
Vice President JD Vance weighed in on the “unhinged” reaction, saying it reveals Democrats’ “hostility to basic American life.” American Eagle has not apologized for the ad, and its stock has risen about 15% since the campaign launched. In what appears to be a cancellation attempt against the actress, Buzzfeed recently published an article revealing that Sweeney registered as a Republican in 2024.
