US Employers Add 22,000 Jobs August Amid Rising Unemployment

U.S. employers added only 22,000 jobs in August 2025, a significant slowdown from July's revised figure of 79,000, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, the highest since 2021. Job losses were notable in the federal government, manufacturing, and construction sectors, with the federal government shedding 15,000 jobs amid ongoing cuts by the Trump administration. Most job gains occurred in healthcare and social assistance, which accounted for nearly 80% of new private-sector jobs this year. The Labor Department's revised data showed a combined cut of 21,000 jobs in June and July, revealing the first monthly job losses since December 2020, contributing to concerns over labor market fragility. President Donald Trump responded to the disappointing July jobs report by firing the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, accusing her of manipulating data, and nominating a successor who has questioned the reliability of BLS data and suggested suspending monthly job reports until corrections are made. Economists attribute the labor market slowdown partly to the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes and uncertainty caused by Trump's economic policies, including trade wars, which have made businesses hesitant to hire.