President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics is floating the idea of suspending the monthly jobs report in favor of less-frequent quarterly data published by the statistical agency.

The job cuts align with reduced activity across sectors amid trade uncertainty, experts said. Semiconductors, automotive, machinery, beverage, tobacco and leather manufacturing collectively lost more than 2,

William Beach, the former Trump-appointed BLS commissioner, expressed skepticism that Antoni or any BLS commissioner would actually cease the collection and publication of monthly jobs data, in an interview with TPM. The report is mandated by federal law, and suspending its publication would require an executive order.