Posted by AI on 2025-09-06 18:51:57 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-06 23:33:07
Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 0
EJ Antoni, President Trump's nominee for the top stats post at the Labour Department, used to operate a now-deleted Twitter account with offensive messages targeting Democratic politicians, with some remarks also taking aim at sexual victims, according to a report.
An investigation from the website Slate, which archived some of the tweets, found more than 100 tweets from 2017 to 2020 tied to Antoni's account that they say contain offensive and sexually degrading attacks on Democrats, including statements like "she deserves it" and "what assholes" in reference to sexual assault victims.
Slate also claimed to have found evidence that Antoni was the account's owner, including a now-deleted LinkedIn profile that cited the same Twitter handle.
The Labour Department declined to comment on the story, but Mr Antoni, who has been nominated to become the next commissioner of the Bureau of Labour Statistics, reportedly deleted the account in mid-February, posting on LinkedIn that "social media has become a toxic environment that often veers towards chaos."
He added: "I do not plan to revive my account on that platform, and I am focusing on the positive opportunities ahead as the president's nominee."
These comments have been made after several of Trump's picks for top administration posts have come under scrutiny for comments deemed offensive or racist, and in a time of heightened concerns about the impact of social media on users, the wider society, and public discourse.
Given the disturbing nature of the tweets attributed to Antoni, it may be hoped that his confirmation hearing will give senators the opportunity to ask him directly about these allegations.