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WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday nominated E. J. Antoni as the new head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), replacing Erika McEntarfer, who was fired after the release of grim jobs data.

"Our economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the numbers released are honest and accurate," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

However, the nominee needs to be confirmed by the Senate.

On Aug. 1, Trump ordered the firing of McEntarfer a few hours after the BLS released weaker-than-expected job growth for July and large downward revisions to figures for May and June. Trump accused her of manipulating data for political purposes.

Antoni, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, is seen as a conservative economist and a critic of the BLS.

"There are better ways to collect, process, and disseminate data -- that is the task for the next BLS commissioner, and only consistent delivery of accurate data in a timely manner will rebuild the trust that has been lost over the last several years," Antoni posted on X last week.

However, the nomination has drawn criticism. "E.J. Antoni is completely unqualified to be BLS Commissioner. He is an extreme partisan and does not have any relevant expertise," said Jason Furman, an economics professor at Harvard University and former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Antoni would be a break from decades of nonpartisan technocrats, Furman said in a post on X.