The U.S. job market showed strong growth in June, adding 147,000 jobs, which exceeded expectations for the fourth month in a row. This positive trend is seen as a boost for President Donald Trump and his administration. The latest jobs report, released on Thursday, revealed that the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1%, the lowest level since February.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted the achievement, stating that nearly 150,000 jobs were created in June alone. She emphasized that all job gains since Trump took office have gone to American-born workers and noted that wages are continuing to rise. Leavitt expressed optimism that the economy would further improve with the passage of a proposed economic package referred to as the "One Big Beautiful Bill."
CNN reporter Matt Egan described the job market as “like the Energizer Bunny,” noting that it keeps going strong even when analysts expect a slowdown. Despite predictions of a rising unemployment rate, the opposite occurred, with the rate actually decreasing.
Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz attributed the job growth to President Trump’s economic strategies, which he described as a "three-legged stool" of trade, tax cuts, and deregulation. Ortiz stated that the focus remains on creating jobs.
The job increase surpassed the Dow Jones estimate of 110,000 and a later revised figure of 144,000. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported little change in many sectors, including mining, construction, and retail. The federal government did experience a loss of 7,000 jobs, marking a total decline of 69,000 since January.
Average hourly wages saw an increase of eight cents, now sitting at $36.30, which is a 3.7% rise from the same time last year. The Council of Economic Advisors noted that native-born employment has increased by over two million since January, while foreign-born employment has decreased by more than 500,000. This shift contrasts with previous years, where foreign-born workers accounted for a significant portion of job growth.
A recent study indicated that during the pandemic recovery, most job gains went to immigrants, while only a quarter of jobs created during former President Joe Biden’s term were filled by native-born Americans. This ongoing discussion about employment trends continues to shape the narrative around the U.S. economy.