Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was instantly fact-checked after he crowed about a September jobs report delivered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“America’s economy continues to defy expectations. 119,000 new jobs in September — the strongest gain since April,” posted Bessent on X.
“The American worker is resilient, and our America First policies are driving a comeback built on strength, jobs, and opportunity.”
America’s economy continues to defy expectations. 119,000 new jobs in September — the strongest gain since April.
The American worker is resilient, and our America First policies are driving a comeback built on strength, jobs, and opportunity. pic.twitter.com/LRMp27kw5H— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) November 20, 2025
Though an increase of 119,000 jobs in one month sounds good, critics quickly identified troubling numbers behind the boast.
“Look at the breakdown. About 70 percent of the job gains came from healthcare and restaurants. A lot of industries are still shedding jobs,” wrote Heather Long, Chief Economist for Navy Federal Credit Union.
“Bottom line: The economy added an average of 44k jobs a month for the past 4 months. That’s barely ‘treading water’ and explains why unemployment is now 4.4%,” she added.
119,000 jobs added in September.
But look at the breakdown. About 70% of the job gains came from health care and restaurants.
**A lot of industries are still shedding jobs**
Hospitality: +47,000
Healthcare: +43,000 (37k was restaurants)
Construction: +19,000
State gov’t:… pic.twitter.com/3Qge692107— Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) November 20, 2025
The BLS’s September report, published Thursday morning after a seven-week delay caused by the government shutdown, states that while “nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 119,000 in September,” the figure “has shown little change since April.”
It also reports that while gains were made in healthcare, food services and drinking places, and social assistance, “job losses occurred in transportation and warehousing and in federal government.”
Unemployment rose from 4.3 percent in August to 4.4 percent in September, marking the highest unemployment rate since October 2021.
The report also reveals that the BLS revised its figures for July and August, saying it had overcalculated the new nonfarm payroll employment.
“Employment in July and August combined is 33,000 lower than previously reported,” it reads.
“The recent history of revisions warrants more skepticism and context for the topline job number for September than is being shown in the early jobs day headlines and news alerts,” wrote Aaron Fritschner, deputy chief of staff for Rep. Don Beyer.
The monthly jobs report has become a subject of intense scrutiny after Trump fired the BLS chief in July on trumped-up charges of putting out a bad report to hurt the president.
The October jobs report will not come out since the household survey used to calculate the unemployment numbers wasn’t done in October due to the shutdown.
This may be fortunate for the Trump administration: Goldman Sachs estimated the country lost 50,000 jobs in October, while economists told Dow Jones they expected the October jobs report to show a decline of 60,000 jobs and an unemployment rate increase to 4.5 percent.
Bessent, 63, suddenly had his job security threatened on Wednesday when President Trump said he’d fire him during a speech at a U.S.-Saudi Investment forum.
While reiterating his desire to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting federal interest rates, Trump, 79, said, “The only thing Scott is blowing it on is the Fed. The rates are too high, Scott. And if you don’t get it fixed fast, I’m going to fire your a–.”
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