President Trump has withdrawn his nomination for right-wing economist E.J. Antoni, who had called a Nazi warship “hard not to love,” to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The White House did not give a reason for Antoni’s withdrawal this week, which came shortly before the federal government shut down. Antoni has not commented about either his nomination or his withdrawal on social media.
Other economists had criticized the Heritage Foundation staffer for what was seen as a desire to politicize the monthly U.S. jobs report, which the nominated position would oversee. He was also present at the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots as a “bystander” who did not enter the Capitol, according to the White House. The position would have required Senate confirmation.
During his regular appearances on conservative TV news, Antoni also prominently displayed artwork of the Bismarck, a technologically advanced World War II battleship built by the Nazis. The ship sank in 1941 after sustaining extensive damage from the British fleet.
On social media Antoni has praised the Bismarck as “hard not to love.” One historian of the Bismarck told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that such a view was similar to how other military enthusiasts have viewed the ship, though others are careful to distinguish its craftsmanship from its Nazi aims.
When asked about Antoni’s love for the ship, the Heritage Foundation said that he also had affection for American-made warships.
According to the Heritage Foundation, Antoni will return to work for the conservative think tank rather than join the Trump administration in another capacity. The group’s president Kevin Roberts continued to praise Antoni on social media, writing that he “was the right man for the job.”
The BLS position became vacant after Trump fired its previous commissioner, claiming without evidence that the jobs report had been “rigged” to reflect badly on him.
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