President Trump Leaked US Jobs Data Before Official Release, Brushed Off Incident.
In a move that drew scrutiny from regulators and investors, President Trump shared U.S. jobs data with the public just hours before its official release on Friday morning. The data, which showed hiring slowing in December, was posted on social media by Mr. Trump at 8:20 p.m. EST on Thursday evening. It later emerged that this post had inadvertently included the same numbers that were to be released in the monthly report, sparking questions about the president's handling of sensitive economic information.
The White House described Mr. Trump's actions as an "inadvertent public disclosure" and acknowledged that the data leak may have been improper. A spokesperson confirmed that the president was briefed on the employment numbers beforehand but did not reveal who provided him with the sensitive information.
While the post is unlikely to have had a significant impact on financial markets, experts say that premature disclosures of sensitive economic data can undermine investor confidence and even lead to regulatory consequences. The Securities and Exchange Commission has been silent on the matter, sparking further debate about the president's handling of classified information.
The incident raises questions about how President Trump receives and handles confidential information, particularly in light of previous breaches involving high-level officials. White House officials are now reviewing their protocols for economic data releases to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In a move that drew scrutiny from regulators and investors, President Trump shared U.S. jobs data with the public just hours before its official release on Friday morning. The data, which showed hiring slowing in December, was posted on social media by Mr. Trump at 8:20 p.m. EST on Thursday evening. It later emerged that this post had inadvertently included the same numbers that were to be released in the monthly report, sparking questions about the president's handling of sensitive economic information.
The White House described Mr. Trump's actions as an "inadvertent public disclosure" and acknowledged that the data leak may have been improper. A spokesperson confirmed that the president was briefed on the employment numbers beforehand but did not reveal who provided him with the sensitive information.
While the post is unlikely to have had a significant impact on financial markets, experts say that premature disclosures of sensitive economic data can undermine investor confidence and even lead to regulatory consequences. The Securities and Exchange Commission has been silent on the matter, sparking further debate about the president's handling of classified information.
The incident raises questions about how President Trump receives and handles confidential information, particularly in light of previous breaches involving high-level officials. White House officials are now reviewing their protocols for economic data releases to prevent similar incidents in the future.