Officials Dispute Trump’s Claim of Rigged Jobs Data, Highlight Economic Policies

JD Vance and the Labor Secretary rejected former President Trump's assertion that recent jobs data was manipulated. The July report revealed a sharp decline in hiring, with payrolls increasing by only 73,000 and previous months revised down by nearly 260,000. Instead of endorsing claims of falsification, both officials sought to contextualize the numbers.

Vance emphasized a rise in native-born workers and a decline in foreign-born employment, framing it as a result of Trump's immigration policies. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer acknowledged downward revisions but insisted job growth remains on track, citing gains in construction and healthcare—though no verifiable data supports her claim of "nearly half a million jobs" added since Trump's return.

Chavez-DeRemer attributed unexpected revisions to seasonal and education sector adjustments, while defending Trump's economic measures, including tax legislation and trade tariffs. The three-month job growth average now stands at 35,000, the lowest since the pandemic.