US jobs see surprise growth in January after weak 2025
BBC News16 hrs
US Adds 130K Jobs in January, Beating Expectations
Does January's jobs report prove Trump's economic success or reveal underlying weakness?
Above: Event signage at the WorkSource North Seattle Career Fair in Seattle. Image credit: David Ryder/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
January's jobs report crushed expectations and proved that Trump's economic agenda is delivering real results. Private sector employment surged by 172,000 while bloated government payrolls shrank by 42,000, bringing federal employment to its lowest level since 1966. Construction jobs boomed, as Trump's pro-growth policies unleash investment and wage growth accelerates. The United States is definitely in a golden age.
Democratic narrative
The jobs report masks serious economic weakness, with nearly all growth concentrated in health care and social assistance — necessity sectors driven by aging demographics rather than genuine economic strength. White-collar fields, like financial services, shed 22,000 jobs while unemployment rose year-over-year to 7.4 million from 6.9 million. Revisions revealed 2024-2025 had the slowest job creation in two decades outside recessions.
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0