During an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who appeared in her personal capacity, said that she was “not familiar with” the Bureau of Labor Statistics revising the number of jobs created down by over 800,000.
Host Kayna Whitworth asked, [relevant exchange begins around 2:00] “I am curious as to your thoughts on today, the Bureau of Labor [Statistics] saying that more than 800,000 fewer jobs were actually created than initially reported. And I — we have a soundbite here…because Donald Trump is already addressing this on the campaign trail.”
Whitworth then played video of 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump saying that the administration “padded” the jobs numbers so they could brag about their economic performance, and then asked, “So, when you hear that, do you potentially think that those new numbers could be a liability for this campaign?”
Raimondo answered, “No. When I hear that, first of all, I don’t believe it. Because I have never heard Donald Trump say anything truthful.”
Whitworth then cut in to say, “It is, though, from the Bureau of Labor [Statistics].”
Raimondo responded, “I don’t — I’m not familiar with that. But look, let me just say this: I have talked to hundreds of business leaders who have looked at Harris’ plans, who have looked at her focus on innovation, her focus on helping businesses, her focus on — she has said, over and over, I am pro-business. So, I think the optimism is real and she is so focused on bringing down costs. That’s what the American people still need help with, housing costs, child costs, food costs, and she hears that and she’s addressing that with her policies. And so far, I think she’s getting good marks for that.”
(h/t RNC Research)
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
