Updated project metadata. Here, we demonstrate that upon inhibition of the Fgf/Erk pathway in mouse trophoblast stem cells (TSCs), the Ets2 repressor factor (Erf) interacts with components of the Nuclear Receptor Corepressor Complex 1 and 2 (NCoR1 and NCoR2). Upon attenuation of Fgf signalling, unphosphorylated, nuclear Erf recruits the NCoR1/2 complex to key trophoblast genes, brings about their transcriptional silencing and facilitates differentiation and placental development.