The U.S. labor market delivered another wake-up call, and this time, it’s impossible to ignore.
Nearly a year into President Donald Trump’s return to office, job growth is sputtering, unemployment is rising, and critics say the administration is working overtime to downplay the damage.
In November, the U.S. added 64,000 jobs, better than expected, but not nearly enough to make up for the 105,000 jobs lost in October, when thousands of federal workers exited due to cutbacks tied to the Trump administration.
The result: a net loss of 41,000 jobs across the two months, according to Labor Department data.
The unemployment rate now stands at 4.6%, the highest it’s been since September 2021.
“ That’s the reality of October and November in the jobs market, in the American economy,” political commentator David Pakman said. “Minus 105 [thousand] in October, plus 64 [thousand] in November—we are minus 41,000 jobs.”
In his show, Pakman opened with a sharp critique: “Well, I have to hand it to him. He almost got away with it.”
Delayed Numbers, Rising Doubts
Due to a 43-day federal shutdown, October’s job report was released late, and quietly.
Pakman argued the delay was strategic. “Trump and his White House cronies would have snowed you,” he said, claiming the administration attempted to bury the October losses by releasing them as a footnote alongside the more favorable November report.
The trend behind the numbers is also worrying. Hiring has slowed significantly since March, with monthly job creation averaging 35,000, down from 71,000 during the year prior.
Wage growth is also cooling, with average hourly earnings rising just 0.1% in November, the smallest monthly gain in over two years.
Health care accounted for the majority of private-sector hiring last month, while manufacturing shed jobs for the seventh consecutive month.
“The Human Factor Has Disappeared”
For everyday Americans, the headlines barely reflect the economic stress they’re living with.
Amy Beckrich, a 54-year-old former HR professional in Minnesota, told the Associated Press she’s applied to over 100 jobs since being laid off in May. Her unemployment benefits have run out.
“It’s tough going into the holidays without any prospects or income,” she said. “I feel like the hiring system is broken. The human factor has completely disappeared.”
Tarlov: “People Are Sick of Waiting”
On Fox News, Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov pointed to the gap between Trump’s promises and reality.
“We’re coming up on a full year of Donald Trump’s policies, and the American public is not feeling better about their economic situation—they’re in fact feeling worse,” she said.
Tarlov noted that since “Liberation Day,” job growth has averaged just 17,000 per month and over 700,000 more Americans are unemployed than a year ago. Youth unemployment now exceeds 10%.
“If you took out health care sector hiring, it would be negative completely,” she added.
Tarlov also called out the administration for quietly attempting to reverse its tariff policies without admitting fault, while over 70% of Americans believe Trump isn’t focused on reducing the cost of living.
Economic Red Flags
Pakman warned that the unemployment trend should not be shrugged off. “Unemployment rises by creeping,” he said.
“First employers slow hiring, which we’ve seen. Then they cut hours. They forego raises. Then there’s a hiring freeze. Then come the layoffs.”
And while 4.6% might not seem catastrophic, it signals a labor market that’s weakening over time.
“It’s not because 4.6 today is a crisis. It’s because it tells you things are heading in the wrong direction,” Pakman said.
Federal Reserve officials are also split. Though the Fed cut interest rates last week in response to slowing momentum, several board members dissented, citing stubbornly high inflation.
Trump appointee Stephen Miran even pushed for a larger cut, aligning with the president’s demands.
Can the Administration Rebound?
With more than 700,000 people out of work compared to this time last year, and a rising share of Americans struggling to cover basic expenses, the administration’s economic message is being met with growing skepticism.
Pakman summed it up this way:
“They pick one number that sounds good. They bury the rest. They reframe the story and hope nobody notices.”
But with job losses piling up, wage growth slowing, and Americans increasingly strained, the story might be too big to spin.
And with an election year approaching, Trump’s political future may now rest on more than just a positive jobs headline.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.