U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed a senior Labor Department official after the release of disappointing job creation figures, sparking controversy over both the decision and his allegations.

Reuters reported on August 1 that Trump accused the official of manipulating economic statistics but provided no evidence to support his claim. The accusations add to mounting scrutiny of the administration's handling of economic data.

The ousted official, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, had been appointed during Joe Biden's presidency to oversee the publication of labor market figures at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To date, no credible proof has surfaced to validate Trump's claims of data tampering.

July's employment report revealed the creation of only 73,000 new jobs, far below expectations - while previous figures were revised sharply downward, intensifying debate about the health of the U.S. economy.

In an unexpected development, a senior Federal Reserve board member also resigned, giving Trump a significant opening to influence the central bank's future economic policies.

Trump's decision to fire a key labor official underscores his combative style of economic management and his readiness to confront agencies he believes are undermining his agenda.

With weak job growth, unproven accusations of data manipulation, and an emerging shift at the Federal Reserve, the outlook for U.S. economic policy appears increasingly unsettled.

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