Trump’s quiet jobs revolution

Published September 9, 2026 5:00am ET



Friday’s jobs report offered something Americans have not seen much of lately: an economic surprise on the upside.

Employers added 162,000 jobs in August, nearly triple what economists expected, while unemployment held steady at 4.1%. The numbers are hardly spectacular by themselves. But beneath the headline figure, the labor market has undergone a significant transformation since President Donald Trump returned to office.

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