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Wall Street Journal
9 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Help Wanted: A $195,000 Economist With More Than a Ph.D.
The most high-profile job search in Washington this week is to fill the now-delicate role of overseeing the country's jobs data. So what does it take to be a successful candidate? President Trump says he plans to announce a new commissioner for the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the coming days after he fired Erika McEntarfer from the job hours after the release of a dismal July jobs report Friday. The president 'wants his own people there,' National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday.
Axios
11 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump plans to "take over" Gaza aid effort, U.S. officials say
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump discussed plans for the U.S. to significantly increase its role in providing humanitarian aid to Gaza in a meeting Monday evening at the White House, according to two U.S. officials and an Israeli official with knowledge of the issue. Why it matters: Negotiations for a ceasefire are stuck, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is moving towards significantly expanding the war. U.S. officials are concerned about more bloodshed but have yet to firmly object. The new food aid plan Trump promised last week is also not yet finalized. Driving the news: Witkoff flew in from Miami to meet Trump for dinner on Monday, the sources say, fresh off a visit last week to Israel and Gaza. A U.S. official said it was decided that the Trump administration will "take over" management of the humanitarian effort in Gaza because Israel isn't handling it adequately. The official didn't say what the U.S. role would actually entail, but said Gulf countries like Qatar will contribute funds, while Jordan and Egypt will also likely be involved. The White House didn't respond to requests for comment. Friction point: Trump is "not thrilled" about the idea of the U.S. taking charge, "but it kind of has to happen," the official said. "There doesn't seem to be another way." "The starvation problem in Gaza is getting worse. Donald Trump does not like that. He does not want babies to starve. He wants mothers to be able to nurse their children. He's becoming fixated on that," the official continued. A second U.S. official said the administration will be careful not to get dragged too deep into the Gaza crisis. "The president doesn't want to see the U.S. being the only country throwing money at this problem. It's a global problem. And he's been tasking Witkoff and others to make sure everyone is stepping up, our European friends and our Arab friends," the official said. The other side: Israel supports the increased U.S. role, according to both U.S. officials and an Israeli official. The Israeli official confirmed the U.S. planned to take the lead on the humanitarian issue in order to increase the level of aid coming into Gaza. "They are going to spend a lot of money in order to help us significantly improving the humanitarian situation so that it will be less of an issue," the Israeli official said. Behind the scenes: Some in the administration are growing worried over Netanyahu's proposed expansion of the war. Netanyahu raised that possibility during Witkoff's visit last week and has discussed it with the White House this week too, an Israeli official told Axios. Israeli officials have claimed they're totally aligned with Washington. Zoom in: The proposed expansion is controversial not just because it entails occupying the entire Gaza Strip, including areas like Gaza City, but also because it would mean moving into zones where Israel believes hostages are being held. The Israel Defense Forces have been reluctant to attack those areas for fear of accidentally killing hostages. IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior security officials have warned Netanyahu against such an operation. According to Israeli officials, Zamir told Netanyahu such a move would endanger the hostages and could lead to Israeli military rule in Gaza with full responsibility over two million Palestinians. What to watch: Nevertheless, the Israeli security cabinet is expected to hold a meeting on Thursday and approve the plan for the full occupation of Gaza. An Israeli official claimed Netanyahu is working to "free the hostages through military defeat of Hamas" because he believes "Hamas is not interested in a deal." At the same time, humanitarian aid will be brought into areas outside the combat zones "and as much as possible to areas outside Hamas' control," the official said.
Axios
11 minutes ago
- Axios
Early data shows major homicide drops in 2025 so far
Homicides declined in major U.S. cities — by more than 50% in some communities — during the first six months of the year, according to new data from an organization of law enforcement executives. Why it matters: The stats are the latest signs that violent crime in America is falling from the COVID crime wave, and that drop appears to be accelerating during President Trump's first months in office. The big picture: Violent crime ticked up early in President Biden's term, but reports show it's dropped significantly since then as law enforcement agencies responded to the pandemic surge and adopted more detailed recordkeeping. The recent downward trend in crime also counters Trump's false claims that immigration had sparked rising crime nationwide — a reason he gave for his mass deportation plan. By the numbers: Reports from 68 law enforcement agencies showed a 19% drop in homicides in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to stats compiled by the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA). An Axios analysis of the MCCA data found that Denver, Honolulu, Orlando, Portland and Tampa all had a 50% or more decrease in homicides during that period. Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Louisville, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Seattle all had declines in homicides of more than 30%. The intrigue: Aurora, Colorado — a city Trump repeatedly and falsely singled out as being overrun by Venezuelan immigrant gangs during the 2024 election — saw a 16% drop in homicides. Phoenix, another city Republicans claimed was besieged by violent crime because of undocumented immigrants, had an 11% decline in homicides during the first six months of this year. The data from MCCA's self-reported agencies included New York City in this report. Its previous reports didn't have New York City, which saw a 27% drop in homicides. Yes, but: Some communities did see a jump during this period. Boston experienced a 143% surge in homicides during the first six months of 2025. Cincinnati, El Paso, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Mo., and Milwaukee also saw increases, the Axios analysis found. Zoom in: Overall, violent crime appears to be falling in every category. Rape was down 9%, robbery decreased 18% and aggravated assaults fell 10%. What they're saying: "President Trump is delivering on his promise to Make America Safe Again — and the results speak for themselves," White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston told Axios. "The safety of the American people is President Trump's top priority, and he's taking decisive action to protect our communities, including removing dangerous illegal aliens from our streets." The other side: "The only thing the Trump administration deserves credit for is attempting to kneecap Baltimore's progress," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's office said in a statement to Axios. Baltimore saw a 23% decline in homicides. "Earlier this year, the Trump Department of Justice cancelled more than $800 million in violence prevention grants." The mayor's office credited the city's Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan and investments in new parks, playgrounds, rec centers, schools and libraries. "These historic lows are the result of a comprehensive public safety strategy that treats gun violence as a public health issue." Zoom out: The quarterly reports from MCCA typically have been a good measure of trends that are reflected in the annual FBI crime data released a year later. What we're watching: Trump has said he will tie federal grants to local police departments based on a requirement that they participate in his plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
