Trump routinely calls economic data ‘fake.’ Here’s why that’s dangerous

Federal economic data is one of the purest forms of infrastructure, says Erica Groshen, a former commissioner at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Federal economic data is one of the purest forms of infrastructure, says Erica Groshen, a former commissioner at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “These data keep our economy running as much as roads and bridges do,” she said. Policymakers, businesses, organizations and other entities rely heavily on the vast trove of detailed data and long-running statistical trends to make investments and decisions — actions that ultimately affect people’s livelihoods. But that statistical infrastructure — which already has been in a precarious state in terms of funding, response rates and public trust — is now at greater risk of crumbling, warn Groshen and others. It remains to be seen how federal statistical agencies may fare under President Donald Trump, who has criticized economic data and seeks to rollback government programs; as well as in the age of DOGE, when the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency aims to streamline large swaths of the government. Concerns about potential cuts or changes to data — which world leaders, regulators, economists and executives have relied upon for decades — come at a time when statisticians inside and outside of the government have clamored for funding to better modernize how the critical data is collected, tabulated and disseminated.