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Top White House aides tamp down January jobs expectation
White House warns January job gains may slow due to lower labor force growth and higher productivity, with economists expecting a 70,000 increase, Reuters reported.
- On Feb 9, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said U.S. job gains could be lower in the coming months due to slower labor force growth and higher productivity.
- Higher productivity, Hassett suggested, can explain lower job gains despite GDP growth, as reduced labor force growth from migrants leaving has shrunk the workforce, complicating the economic picture.
- Recent data show average monthly payroll gains near 53,000 in Nov–Dec, with nonfarm payrolls likely up 70,000 last month after a 50,000 rise in December and unemployment at 4.4%.
- Policymakers face differing responses depending on whether supply or demand is the main limiter, as Powell said it is a difficult time to read the labor market, and the Fed's reaction could vary accordingly.
- Labor Department is scheduled to release the delayed January employment report on Wednesday, and economists polled by Reuters expect no change; Hassett’s remarks mirror Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s and Fed chief nominee Kevin Warsh’s recent comments on demand and supply weakness.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Top White House aides tamp down January jobs expectation
Top White House officials are trying to prepare Americans for a lackluster January jobs report this week as President Trump kicks off 2026 under intense economic pressure. Trump’s top economic advisers have said in recent days that the January jobs report, scheduled to be released Wednesday, is unlikely to show a strong gain, citing high…
White House official spins slower job growth as 'what we need'
White House official Peter Navarro on Tuesday braced the markets for a "weak" impending jobs report, urging them to keep expectations "down significantly" while also pointing the blame elsewhere besides Donald Trump's policies.Navarro serves as Trump's senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, and is noted as one of the biggest boosters in the administration of the president's wide-ranging tariff policy. During a Tuesday appearance on Fox Bu…
White House Lowers Expectations for Jobs Report
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Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo pressed senior Trump trade advisor Peter Navarro after he urged investors to “revise expectations down significantly” ahead of Wednesday’s job report, arguing any potential drop would serve as evidence that the administration’s deportation crackdown was working. The exchange came on Tuesday’s edition of Mornings with Maria, one day before the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release employment data postpon…
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