The conversation initially focused on Trump’s recent and controversial firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. However, the topic quickly shifted when immigration and the U.S. workforce came up.
Host Becky Quick noted that immigrants have accounted for more than half of the country’s workforce growth over the past three years. She also pointed out that many farmers have raised concerns about the difficulty of finding seasonal workers due to the administration’s tough immigration policies.
“I think the farmers’ concerns may have impacted you — perhaps made you see things a bit differently,” said host Becky Quick.
Trump responded, “I love the farmers. They’re a vital part of this country, and we’re not going to do anything to hurt them. We’re working on it, and we’ll be introducing new rules and regulations soon.”
He added, “You’ll often see a farmer with the same worker for 20 years. That worker is even paying taxes and doing everything else.”
Trump’s comments sparked swift outrage online, with many slamming his remarks as “cruel” and “beyond deplorable.”
One social media user wrote:
“Yes, immigrants take jobs that American citizens often won’t. No, they are not ‘naturally’ suited to it — they’re pushed into those roles by our broken immigration and labor systems. They deserve legal protections and real pathways to citizenship.”
Trump also reignited controversy by doubling down on claims that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) jobs data was “rigged” against him.
He had fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer just days earlier, accusing her of manipulating the numbers for political reasons.
The Labor Department reported a disappointing 73,000 jobs added in July, casting doubt on the strength of the job market under Trump’s leadership.
“It’s a highly political situation. Totally rigged,” Trump said during the Squawk Box interview. “Smart people know it. People with common sense know it.”
But co-host Joe Kernen pushed back, calling it a “big leap” to claim systemic bias. He explained that the BLS relies on an outdated method of mailed surveys to determine employment figures.
Kernen also warned that Trump’s firing of McEntarfer could damage public trust:
“Critics are going to say, ‘Hey, he’s just picking someone who’ll give him the numbers he wants.’ That undermines confidence in the whole system,” he noted.
