Trump Tariffs’ Economic Weakness: Hiring Slumps, Inflation Rises/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. job growth stalled in August, with only 22,000 jobs added and unemployment rising to 4.3%, exposing cracks in President Donald Trump’s economic promises. Tariffs and immigration crackdowns are pressuring key sectors while inflation edges higher. Trump insists growth is coming, but critics see worsening weakness.
Trump’s Job Market Struggles: Quick Looks
- August jobs report: Only 22,000 jobs added; unemployment 4.3%.
- Factories, construction, energy sectors have cut tens of thousands of jobs.
- Black unemployment rose to 7.5%, highest since October 2021.
- Inflation climbed from 2.3% in April to 2.7% in July.
- Electricity costs up 4.6% despite Trump’s promise to halve prices.
- Trump blames Fed for not cutting rates fast enough.
- Democrats blame tariffs and immigration crackdowns for economic drag.
- White House insists AI, new factories, and tariffs will fuel future growth.
- Critics say promises contradict Trump’s claims jobs data was “rigged.”
- Polls show approval of Trump’s economic leadership down to 38%.
Deep Look: Trump’s Job Market Promises Collide with Harsh Economic Reality
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump entered his second White House term promising roaring job creation and rapid economic revival. Instead, the first seven months have brought sluggish hiring, rising unemployment, and a tick upward in inflation, testing Trump’s credibility and patience with voters.
Jobs Collapse in August
The latest Labor Department report showed only 22,000 jobs added in August, far below expectations. Unemployment rose to 4.3%, and revisions revealed that June’s numbers actually showed a net loss of 13,000 jobs — the first decline since the pandemic’s peak in December 2020.
Factories and construction firms cut jobs, and the mining and logging sector — including oil and gas — has lost 12,000 positions since January. The downturn underscores the gulf between Trump’s promises of an economic “boom” and the weakening labor market.
Tariffs and Inflation Bite
Trump’s aggressive tariff regime has fueled higher costs across supply chains. Consumer prices rose 2.7% in July, up from 2.3% in April, with electricity costs climbing 4.6%. Wholesale food inflation is accelerating as tariffs on imports raise costs for farmers and grocery suppliers.
Meanwhile, Black unemployment has surged to 7.5%, undercutting Trump’s claim that mass deportations would protect “Black jobs.”
Blame Game and Political Fallout
Trump blames Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates aggressively, though deep cuts risk fueling further inflation. Democrats counter that Trump’s tariffs and erratic policies are choking the economy.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared:
“Donald Trump is squeezing the life out of our economy.”
Public perception is souring. A July AP-NORC poll found only 38% approval of Trump’s economic leadership, down sharply from 56% in 2020.
White House Spin: Growth Is Coming
Despite the bleak numbers, Trump and his advisers argue the economy is poised for a rebound. They cite investments in artificial intelligence facilities, factories, and infrastructure projects, predicting “jobs numbers like our country has never seen before” within a year.
Kevin Hassett, head of the National Economic Council, insists inflation remains manageable and that “new investments will ultimately boost hiring.”
Contradictions and Criticism
Analysts note Trump’s messaging is contradictory. He claims job reports are “rigged” against him — firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after downward revisions — while simultaneously urging Americans to be patient for stronger numbers ahead.
Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute said:
“If Trump says the data are manipulated, then what are we waiting for? Either the jobs numbers are fake, or he’s asking for patience based on real data.”
Tariffs, Immigration, and Worker Shortages
Economists warn that tariffs and immigration cuts are constraining growth. Stephen Moore, a conservative economist and Trump ally, admitted the labor market is “definitely softening” but argued the issue is a shortage of workers, not jobs.
That shortage is partly due to Trump’s crackdowns on immigrant labor, which many industries rely on.
Political Stakes
Pollster Frank Luntz argued the political risk lies less in job numbers and more in inflation and affordability. If voters feel squeezed on groceries, rent, and energy bills, Trump’s economic messaging could collapse — unless he shows progress by Labor Day 2026, when public opinion hardens ahead of midterms.
For now, Trump has time to course-correct. But each weak jobs report deepens doubts that his promises of a booming “Trump economy” can match reality.
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