Washington, D.C. – Fox Business’s “Mornings With Maria” panel adopted a somber tone on Friday, as they unpacked the August U.S. jobs report, which revealed a mere 22,000 jobs added, far below the expected 76,000 and an unemployment rate rise to 4.3%, the highest since 2021.
The disappointing figures, coupled with revised data showing a net loss of 13,000 jobs in June, showed a cooling labor market, drawing candid reactions from hosts and intensifying scrutiny on President Donald Trump’s economic leadership.
The report, coming just weeks after Trump fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) head, over a similarly weak July report, prompted the president to deflect, claiming the “real numbers” would emerge “a year from now.”
Grim Jobs Report Unfolds Live
On “Mornings With Maria,” anchor Lauren Simonetti, reading the BLS report seconds after its release on September 5, noted the unemployment rate’s increase from 4.2% in July to 4.3%, a level not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic fallout in 2021.
The report’s headline figure 22,000 jobs added, fell significantly short of the 76,000 projected by economists. Revised figures revealed a bleaker picture, with June’s job count adjusted to show a loss of 13,000 jobs, marking the first monthly decline since December 2020.
“That 22,000 number … it’s a weaker than expected number,” fill-in anchor Cheryl Casone admitted, adding, “And these revisions are pretty brutal.” Co-host Charles Payne concurred, calling the revisions “extraordinarily” severe.
The panel’s discussion, laced with terms like “surprising,” “disappointing,” and “there’s a lot of concern,” reflected a rare struggle for the typically pro-Trump network to find a positive angle. Health care led job gains with 31,000 additions, but losses in federal government (-15,000), manufacturing (-12,000), and mining sectors offset progress.
Trump’s Deflection and BLS Controversy
The August report follows a turbulent month for the BLS, after President Trump fired Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on August 1, over a weak July report showing 79,000 jobs added, revised up from 73,000 but still below expectations.
Trump, without evidence, accused McEntarfer of manipulating data to undermine his administration compared to former President Joe Biden’s, nominating Heritage Foundation economist E.J. Antoni, a loyalist critical of BLS methodology, as her replacement. William Wiatrowski is currently acting commissioner.
Anticipating the August report’s poor performance, Trump deflected during a Thursday night, September 4, dinner with wealthy tech executives, telling reporters, “The real numbers that I’m talking about are going to be whatever it is, but will be in a year from now.” The comment, typical of Trump’s strategy to downplay negative economic indicators, drew criticism for sidestepping immediate concerns about a slowing labor market.
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DUN DUN DUN — Fox Business announces that the 22,000 jobs added in August are “much less than the expectation of 75,000” and that they June and July numbers were revised down as well pic.twitter.com/lVxz9LfZzQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 5, 2025
Economic and Political Fallout That Follows
The jobs report has heightened fears of an economic slowdown, with monthly job creation averaging just 29,000 from June to August 2025, compared to 168,000 monthly in 2024, per CBS News.
Revised data showing June’s 13,000 job loss, the first since late 2020, intensified concerns, with economists like Bradley Saunders of Capital Economics stating, “August’s employment report confirmed that the labor market has headed off a cliff-edge.” The report keeps the Federal Reserve on track for a potential interest rate cut later in September, with markets pricing in a 100% chance of a quarter-point reduction.
On X, reactions were polarized. Supporters like @MagaEconomy hailed Trump’s focus on future growth, while critics, including @EconWatchUSA, labeled the report “a disaster for Trump’s economic narrative.” Hashtags like #JobsReport and #Economy2025 trended, reflecting public unease.
Why It Matters
The report adds to Trump’s economic challenges, as his administration struggles with unfulfilled 2024 campaign promises, including releasing Jeffrey Epstein files and addressing rising costs.
The BLS shakeup, coupled with Trump’s push to ban mail-in ballots and rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War, has fueled perceptions of instability. Chicago’s recent backlash to Trump’s “Department of WAR” post targeting the city shows broader tensions, with fears of federal overreach impacting local events like Mexican Independence Day celebrations.
Critics, including Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), argue the jobs data reflects the impact of Trump’s policies, such as tariffs causing “on-again, off-again uncertainty” for businesses. Supporters, however, point to strong GDP growth (3.3% in Q2 2025, per @LondonRealTV on X) as evidence of resilience. The labor market’s trajectory, with 598,000 jobs added in 2025 compared to 1,144,000 in 2024’s first eight months, will test Trump’s economic credibility ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Fox Business is coping hard with another bad Trump jobs report: “That 22,000 number — it’s a weaker than expected number, and these revisions are pretty brutal … it’s disappointing … there’s a lot of concern” pic.twitter.com/bXPXQCl1d8
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 5, 2025
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What Next?
For now, the Federal Reserve weighs rate cuts and Congress debates Trump’s legislative agenda. So, the August jobs report has cast a shadow over the administration’s economic narrative.
The BLS controversy, marked by McEntarfer’s firing and ongoing revisions, has deepened public skepticism, with 79% of Americans suspecting government data manipulation, per a recent YouGov poll.
Whether Trump’s deflection to “real numbers” in 2026 resonates or further damages trust remains to be seen, but the labor market’s slowdown signals a critical challenge for his second term.
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