Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics may have trekked two miles from work to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021—a day when non-participants were told to stay away.
Project 2025 architect E.J. Antoni, whom the White House called a “bystander” who hung around the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was a research fellow at the Committee to Unleash Prosperity at the time, according to his LinkedIn.
Its location is 1155 15th St NW in Washington—about a two-mile walk from the Capitol, or about 12.8 lengths of the Bismarck, Adolf Hitler’s favorite ship and one Antoni has a keen interest in as well—previously showing off a painting of the ship during media appearances.
It’s unclear if Antoni was at that address prior to making his way over to the Capitol, or if he was first at another location.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did the Heritage Foundation, where Antoni is chief economist.
On Thursday, an NBC News report identified Antoni in the crowd of Trump supporters outside the Capitol. Footage archived by ProPublica does not show him crossing any barricades or demonstrating.
The White House told NBC: “These pictures show EJ Antoni, a bystander to the events of January 6th, observing and then leaving the Capitol area. EJ was in town for meetings, and it is wrong and defamatory to suggest EJ engaged in anything inappropriate or illegal.”
Two days before the insurrection, Mayor Muriel Bowser posted a message urging non-participants in the pro-Trump gathering to stay away.
“I am asking Washingtonians and those who live in the region to stay out of the downtown area on Tuesday and Wednesday and not to engage with demonstrators who come to our city seeking confrontation, and we will do what we must to ensure all who attend remain peaceful,” she wrote on X.
Parking restrictions and street closures were also in place.
Trump nominated Antoni to lead the BLS after firing Erika McEntarfer, whom he accused of fabricating subpar jobs numbers.
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