The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy added 57,000 jobs in June and that the unemployment rate came in at 4.2%. Also reported that job creation in May was actually 129,000 instead of the 172,000 reported earlier. In the first 6 months of 2026 the economy added a total of 570,000 jobs.
By comparison, in the same period of time during Biden's second year in office in 2022, the economy added a total of 398,000 jobs in June of 2022 and the unemployment rate came in at 3.6%. In Biden's first six months of 2022 the economy added 2,235,000 jobs.
In a separate report, the labor force participation rate which measures the working age participation of those employed or looking for a job fell to 61.5%, the lowest level since June of 1996, not counting COVID. All of the numbers continue to show that the Trump administration, like most GOP administrations are poor at creating jobs and Trump is following his own precedent of his first term when the economy lost 2.7 million jobs.
After 66 months serving as President, Trump's job creation record is still in negative territory to the tune of 2 million jobs lost. The facts tell the real story of a poorly managed economy that follows the GOP.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
