It’s good news for Donald Trump and the American people. In a display of unexpected labor market strength, U.S. employers added 177,000 jobs in April—well above the 133,000 forecast by economists—according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Friday. The report drew immediate praise from CNBC’s Rick Santelli, who characterized the numbers as “good news” during a segment on Squawk Box.
“This would be the second-best number of the year,” Santelli noted, referencing revised figures that subtracted 58,000 jobs from prior months’ totals. Even with the downward adjustment, April’s gains remained firmly above consensus expectations.
Core indicators painted a picture of stability across the board, according The Daily Caller. The unemployment rate held at 4.2%, while average hourly earnings rose six cents over March. The average workweek was unchanged at 34.3 hours. On an annual basis, wages climbed 3.8%—slightly under the anticipated 3.9% but consistent with recent trends.
Santelli singled out the increase in labor force participation, which ticked up to 62.6%, as a signal of underlying economic resilience. “That’s good news,” he repeated, highlighting the sustained pace of wage growth and steady hours as further signs the job market remains on solid ground.
The report also revealed that American workers made the bulk of the employment gains.
There it is:
Native-born workers: +1.04 million
Foreign-born workers: -410,000 pic.twitter.com/SkHM1GnTgN— zerohedge (@zerohedge) May 2, 2025
The upbeat report lands against a backdrop of political wrangling over the trajectory of the U.S. economy. Democrats have blamed former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies for market volatility and manufacturing disruption. Yet with inflation cooling—March’s consumer price index rose just 2.4% year-over-year—the data suggests that, at least for now, employment fundamentals remain intact despite global headwinds.
[Read More: Bernie Sanders Turns On Chuck Schumer]
