Trump Ally Says US Economy ‘Weaker Than We Thought’

A man once tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has warned that the U.S. economy is not strong enough to handle soaring oil prices caused by the ongoing war in Iran.

“The economy is weaker than we thought it was, and inflation is worse than we thought it was,”  EJ Antoni told the Financial Times on Wednesday, after oil prices soared over $100 a barrel last week.

Antoni said higher energy costs will “put upward pressure on prices throughout the economy.” 

The Heritage Foundation’s chief economist was tapped to lead the BLS by Trump in 2025, before the president abruptly withdrew him from consideration following concerns over his experience for the role.  

Antoni’s warnings about the U.S. economy come as polling shows that rising gas prices are hurting the president.

This is a developing story and will be updated.