September Jobs Report Exposes Failures of Trump’s Economic Policies as Inequality Deepens Ahead of Midterms
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U.S. payrolls barely grew in September, with unemployment rising to 4.2%, highlighting the ongoing struggles of working people under Trump. These disappointing numbers could sway the upcoming midterm elections.
U.S. nonfarm payrolls increased by a meager 29,000 jobs in September, a figure that falls dramatically short of the 90,000 jobs analysts had forecast. Average hourly earnings inched up just 0.1% for the month and 3% year-to-date, failing to keep pace with the 3.4% inflation rate over the same period. The unemployment rate climbed to 4.2%, and revisions further slashed the already weak July and August employment numbers.
Allianz chief economic adviser Mohamed El-Erian told Yahoo Finance that the economic pressures are disproportionately hurting lower-income households, stating, "It's not just an economic worry. It's a social and political worry as well." This underscores how the Trump administration’s policies continue to leave working families behind while the wealthy benefit.
Democratic leaders pointed to the data as clear evidence of a deteriorating economic record under President Trump, who has prioritized corporate profits and tax breaks for the rich over the needs of ordinary Americans. In contrast, White House officials attempted to spin the report, with National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett claiming he was "not even a little bit" disappointed and downplaying the weak numbers as "a little bit lukewarm" and supposedly part of normal fluctuations. Deputy Press Secretary Taylor Rogers tried to distract from the poor results by highlighting that private-sector payrolls added 46,000 jobs after a loss of 17,000 government positions, and by touting over one million private-sector jobs created during the president's second term—a hollow talking point that ignores the reality faced by millions.
President Trump, meanwhile, continued to push his failed economic agenda, boasting about foreign investment plans and preparing a nationwide campaign tour to prop up his administration’s narrative as the November 3 election approaches, despite mounting evidence that his policies are failing working people.