US Economy Added Slightly More Jobs Than Expected In May

U.S. job growth in May was slightly higher than expected, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released on Friday.

The U.S. economy added 139,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in May, slightly above economists’ expectations, the BLS reported. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2% in May, according to the BLS.

The job report reflects an overall strong economy,” David Hebert, a senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “However, it’s important to point out that despite the economy adding 139,000 jobs, employment in manufacturing, a key component of the President’s policy efforts, ‘showed little change.’”

“Unless the President secures new trade deals and quickly, it’s pretty clear that next month’s jobs report will be affected by the tariffs,” Herbert added. “We’ve already seen state-by-state figures from last month that have completely wiped out the job gains in manufacturing in Michigan in particular, a key state for Trump and one whose manufacturing sector hangs in the balance of these trade deals.”

Still, job growth in May marked a downturn from the revised 147,000 jobs added in April, the BLS reported. The BLS’ May jobs report comes after inflation eased more than expected in April, slowing to its lowest level since February 2021, according to a May 13 report from the BLS.

“Job creation and wage growth exceeded expectations again as the U.S. economy and labor market remain solid thanks to President Trump’s pro-growth, pro-energy policies,” Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz wrote in a statement shared with the DCNF. “Small businesses and the private sector were responsible for these new jobs, with strong gains in the leisure and hospitality sector, a stark contrast from last year’s labor market that was propped up by government jobs. Small businesses are confident and staffing up for summer.”

President Donald Trump has vowed to improve the U.S. economy and lower prices during his second term, stating in March that he is “fighting everyday to make America affordable again.” The U.S. Department of Labor wrote in a post to X on Friday in response to the May jobs report that Trump’s “America First policies” are continuing to “fuel our economic revival and deliver for hardworking families.”