Latest News

German Minister says that institutions must be independent when asked about Trump's firing

Lars Klingbeil, German Finance Minister, said that state institutions should be independent of politics and free of politics. He was responding to a question about Donald Trump's decision to fire the Bureau of Labor Statistics head.

Klingbeil stated that he believes this approach is wrong. He said it's important for independent institutions to stay independent, and for politics to not interfere.

Trump dismissed Erika McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), after a shockingly weak scorecard on the U.S. employment market. He accused her of manipulating figures without any evidence.

Klingbeil, ahead of a meeting he will have with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday, said that democracies take the right course when they maintain the independence and power of their institutions.

Klingbeil stated, "I cannot tell you my style of politics, but I do not attack independent, neutral and proven institutions as it appears to be happening here."

Klingbeil said that there were many things to clarify regarding the EU's trade agreement with the United States. He also added that the bloc was too weak in the negotiations. (Reporting and editing by Matthias Williams, Helen Popper and Maria Martinez)

(source: Reuters)