President Donald Trump on Friday reportedly pushed back against media coverage of the latest unemployment numbers, arguing that a modest increase in the jobless rate is the direct result of his administration’s aggressive efforts to shrink the federal government, not a sign of economic trouble.
The comments came after new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the unemployment rate rising to a four-year high of 4.6 percent. The report indicated that the economy added 64,000 jobs in November, following a loss of 105,000 jobs the month before. The bureau also revised earlier estimates downward, reporting that August job losses were steeper than initially believed and September gains were smaller than previously reported.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the numbers reflect deliberate policy choices rather than a faltering economy. He argued that reductions in the federal workforce are driving the uptick in unemployment and framed the development as proof that his administration is serious about cutting government bloat.
“The only reason our Unemployment ticked up to 4.5% is because we are reducing the Government Workforce by numbers that have never been seen before,” Trump wrote. He emphasized that job creation under his administration is coming entirely from the private sector, not from expanding government payrolls.
“100% OF OUR NEW JOBS ARE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR!” Trump added, contrasting his approach with what he suggested would be an easier but less honest way to lower unemployment. He said he could immediately push the unemployment rate down to 2 percent by hiring more federal workers, but rejected that idea as wasteful and unnecessary.
Trump also took aim at media coverage of the report, accusing the press of mischaracterizing the data. He said the unemployment rate should be understood in the context of deliberate federal downsizing rather than portrayed as a broader economic failure. “I wish the Fake News would report the 4.5% correctly,” he wrote, adding that his policies are focused on long-term economic strength rather than short-term optics.
“What I am doing is the only way to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump concluded.
The administration’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce have been substantial. According to a recent analysis from the Cato Institute, the Department of Government Efficiency, a Trump task force led by Elon Musk during the first months of the administration, cut federal employment by roughly 271,000 positions. That represents a nine percent decline in federal employment since January 2025.
Supporters of the administration argue that trimming the federal workforce shifts resources and opportunities back to the private sector, where jobs are driven by market demand rather than government expansion. They say the approach reflects a philosophy that economic growth should come from businesses and entrepreneurs, not from swelling bureaucracy.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed mixed signals, with modest job gains in November but revisions indicating weaker performance in late summer and early fall than previously believed. Still, Trump’s response made clear that he views the numbers through the lens of structural reform rather than short-term fluctuations.
By openly tying higher unemployment to federal job cuts, Trump is signaling that his administration is willing to accept political criticism in pursuit of a smaller government. He has repeatedly argued that artificially boosting employment through federal hiring masks deeper problems and leaves taxpayers footing the bill.
As the debate over the economy continues, Trump’s comments underscore a central theme of his presidency: prioritizing private-sector growth and reduced government over headline-friendly statistics, even when that approach leads to uncomfortable short-term numbers.
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