The U.S. economy roared ahead in September 2025, shattering expectations with the creation of 119,000 jobs — more than double what economists predicted. This data, which the Department of Labor unveiled after a six-week delay thanks to the Schumer Shutdown, paints a picture of a labor market that’s stronger and more resilient than many on the left believed possible under Trump’s aggressive economic policies.
U.S. employers added a surprisingly solid 119,000 jobs in September, the government said, issuing a key economic report that had been delayed for seven weeks by the federal government shutdown.
The unemployment rate rose to 4.4% in September, highest since October 2021 and up from 4.3% in August, the Labor Department said Thursday. The unemployment rate rose partly because 470,000 people entered the labor market — either working or looking for work — in September and not all of them found jobs right away.
Health care and social assistance firms led the September job surge, adding more than 57,000 positions, while construction companies hired 19,000 and retailers brought on nearly 14,000 workers. Factories, meanwhile, cut 6,000 jobs, and the federal government cut 3,000.
However, while the increase in payrolls exceeded economists’ expectations, the Labor Department revisions adjusted August’s numbers slightly, showing a modest loss of 4,000 jobs instead of the 22,000 gain reported initially. Overall, revisions trimmed 33,000 jobs from the July and August totals.
Wages increased 0.2% from August and are up 3.8% from a year ago, inching closer to the 3.5% annual increase the Federal Reserve aims for to keep inflation in check.
The numbers come after the Democrats’ 43-day government shutdown left investors, businesses, policymakers, and even the Fed flying blind. With federal workers furloughed, key labor-market data wasn’t available, leaving everyone guessing about the actual state of American jobs. Some on the left pushed the conspiracy theory that Trump wanted the shutdown to delay a bad jobs report. It never made any sense, seeing as it was Democrats, under Chuck Schumer's leadership, who shut down the government in the first place.
Recommended: Scott Jennings Destroyed a Leftist for Accusing Him of Racism
The household survey showed an even more encouraging picture, with 251,000 people finding jobs and the labor force swelling to a record 171.2 million participants, alongside a participation rate hitting 62.4% — the highest since May. Full-time employment surged by 673,000 while part-time roles scaled back by 573,000, suggesting Americans are increasingly landing solid, full-time gigs rather than patching together part-time work. That’s all promising news that the economy is recovering from the Biden years.
“In stark contrast to the disastrous Biden economy, almost all of these new jobs were in the private sector and went to American-born workers instead of illegal aliens,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement she posted to X. “Wages for workers are continuing to rise, a reversal of the Biden years where private sector wages declined by about $3,000 because of the Democrats’ inflation crisis.”
She added, “This strong report is more proof that President Trump’s pro-growth, America First agenda is already making great progress, and it will continue to deliver positive results for American families and businesses.”
Meanwhile, Democrats, who banked on economic despair to make their case, are left scrambling as everyday Americans see real opportunities and real paychecks. The job market’s resilience amid political and economic upheaval is proof that Trump’s economic blueprint is working, and that’s good news for the country.
Tired of ads interrupting your reading? Join PJ Media VIP for an ad-free experience that lets you focus on the real news you care about. PJ Media stands strong as a conservative voice you can trust. Support our fearless journalism and help keep us alive. Join VIP with promo code FIGHT for 60% off. Don’t wait, join today!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member