Who is Brett Matsumoto? Donald Trump picks ‘data nerd' to lead Bureau of Labor Statistics

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was intending to nominate Brett Matsumoto as the next leader of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a post that has been left vacant since August last year.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said that the BLS is a troubled agency that had been led by “WEAK and STUPID people” for many years and has been “FAILING American Businesses, Policymakers, and Families by releasing VERY inaccurate numbers.”

“That is why I FIRED the former Commissioner, and am pleased to nominate the very talented Brett Matsumoto as the next Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). I am confident that Brett has the expertise to QUICKLY fix the long history of issues at the BLS on behalf of the American People. Brett Matsumoto is a Brilliant, Reputable, and Trusted Economist who will restore GREATNESS to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Congratulations Brett!”

Who is Brett Matsumoto?

Brett Matsumoto has been nominated by Donald Trump to be the next comnissioner the BLS, though it would need further approval from the Senate.

William Wiatrowski, a longtime BLS veteran, has served as acting commissioner in the interim.

Matsumoto in economics from the University of North Carolina in 2015 and entered the BLS that year, working at the government office since then.

Matsumoto works within the Division of Price and Index Number Research, most recently conducting research related to the measurement of inflation.

“Brett was a Supervisory Research Economist for the BLS, but is now serving as a Senior Economist on the Trump Council of Economic Advisers, like he did in my First Term,” Trump said.

Brett Matsumoto recently been on leave to serve at the White House Council of Economic Advisers as a senior economist.

A known name among statisticians, Matsumoto is Trump’s second pick to lead the bureau.

Known as a “data nerd” within the circle of statistical experts, Matsumoto was active on social media and wrote on the nuances of statistical data.

According to The New York Times, Erica Groshen, a commissioner during Barack Obama's presidency, praised the appointment, saying, “He’s a B.L.S.-er, he’s a data nerd.”

The division Matsumoto works at within BLS focuses on long-term research, with an emphasis on resolving price measurement problems. Matsumoto has also published numerous research papers, including several related to consumer expenditures.

The BLS also releases an array of economic reports, including the consumer price index that covers inflation.