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President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics was on the Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, appearing in multiple videos of the crowd taken shortly before rioters breached the building. The White House insists the nominee, conservative economist E.J. Antoni, was merely a bystander who left the area without participating in the violence.
Antoni, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation and frequent critic of the BLS, was tapped for the post this week after Trump fired former agency head Erika McEntarfer, accusing her without evidence of “rigging” jobs reports. Antoni’s nomination comes as Trump continues to reshape key federal agencies in his second term.
Background on Jan. 6 Footage
Archived videos from Parler and surveillance footage posted by the Republican-led House Administration Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee place Antoni on both the west and east sides of the Capitol roughly an hour after police barricades were removed. In one clip, Antoni is seen walking away from the west plaza as tear gas lingers in the air and far-right broadcaster Alex Jones speaks through a megaphone. Another shows him on the east side, moving south, away from the building.
The footage does not depict Antoni entering the Capitol or crossing police lines. He declined to comment when contacted by NBC News.
White House Response
In an emailed statement, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers described Antoni as “a bystander to the events of January 6th, observing and then leaving the Capitol area.” Rogers said Antoni had been in Washington for meetings with his then-employer at an office nearby and “did not cross any barricades or participate in any demonstrations.”
Jan. 6 Legal and Political Fallout
The Justice Department’s investigation into Jan. 6 remains the largest in its history, though it has largely targeted those who entered the building or engaged in violence. Trump, on his first day back in office, ended the probe, pardoning all roughly 1,500 defendants and commuting sentences for others.
The events of Jan. 6 have previously derailed Trump nominees. Trump withdrew the nomination of Ed Martin for U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., after Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., objected to Martin’s support for Capitol rioters.
Antoni’s Policy Views
Antoni has long argued that the BLS should release fewer, more “accurate” jobs reports, telling Fox News on Aug. 4 — before his nomination — that the agency should switch from monthly to quarterly releases. He is a frequent guest on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast and has sharply criticized federal economic data as politically biased.
Next Steps
Antoni’s nomination must clear the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans but remains divided over the lingering political and legal implications of Jan. 6. Confirmation hearings have not yet been scheduled.
