Big News Alert

The latest Labor Department report reveals a troubling trend: hiring in December 2025 was anemic, adding only 50,000 jobs. This brings the total for the year to a mere 584,000 jobs, marking the weakest year for employment growth since the pandemic's onset in 2020. Meanwhile, October and November job gains were also quietly revised downwards by a staggering 76,000 positions.

Despite a dip in the unemployment rate to 4.4%, the underlying data paints a grim picture. Retailers, usually bustling during the holiday season, actually cut jobs. Manufacturing continues its ten-month slump, shedding another 8,000 jobs, with factory managers reporting 'very low morale' and 'increasing component costs' due to tariffs. Even the federal government saw significant job losses throughout the year, down 277,000 from the start of 2025 due to buyouts.

What Could Go Wrong

This dramatic slowdown in job creation has profound implications for every American. When job growth plummets from 2 million in 2024 to less than 600,000 in 2025, it signals a deeper economic malaise than official unemployment figures let on.

"Morale is very low across manufacturing in general," one factory manager lamented, highlighting how "the cost of living is very high, and component costs are increasing with folks citing tariffs and other price increases."

This isn't just about statistics; it's about real people struggling with rising expenses and diminishing opportunities.

Furthermore, the slowdown means less job turnover, making it harder for young people and new entrants to get a foot in the door. Workers are increasingly anxious about job security, and their confidence in finding new employment if laid off is eroding, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates for the third time since September underscores a clear concern about the weakening job market, effectively acknowledging that the economy needs artificial life support.

Who Must Answer

President Donald Trump's administration and its economic architects must be held accountable for these alarming trends. The manufacturing sector, a cornerstone of American industry, is being directly impacted by his administration's tariffs, with companies citing them as a major factor in increasing costs and low morale. Is this the 'America First' we were promised? When domestic manufacturers suffer due to policies meant to protect them, it's time to question the effectiveness and wisdom of such decisions.

How can the administration trumpet a low unemployment rate while simultaneously overseeing the weakest year for job creation since a global pandemic? The narrative of a booming economy rings hollow when hundreds of thousands fewer jobs are being created, and American workers feel less secure and face higher living costs. This isn't just a blip; it's a pattern, and the American people deserve an explanation for why these policies are failing to deliver genuine prosperity.

Your Call

We are told the economy is strong, yet job growth has cratered, manufacturing is in a slump, and everyday Americans are increasingly worried about their livelihoods. The very policies touted as beneficial, like tariffs, appear to be hurting the sectors they were meant to help. The Federal Reserve is cutting rates in response to a weakening job market, not a booming one. This situation demands scrutiny, not blind acceptance.

Given the facts presented — the drastic slowdown in job creation, the direct impact of tariffs on American industries, the widespread worker anxiety, and the Federal Reserve's cautionary rate cuts — are you OK with this direction for our nation's economy?