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Well, we'd like to bring in the Labor Secretary now, Lori Chavez Durima. Thank you so much, Secretary for joining us as we are on the heels of this May report where the US added one hundred and thirty nine thousand jobs, beating estimates. But I would love to start with the decline in the size of the labor force down six hundred and twenty six thousand, largest drop since twenty twenty three. Is this because the administration has shut down immigration?
Well, thank you Adm. Marie for having me. We are excited one hundred and thirty nine thousand new jobs and that President Trump, with his dedication and his leadership, really has beat expectations for the third month in a row. Our goal is to grow this economy and grow this workforce, and the President has done a wonderful job in accessing companies to invest in the workforce. We're seeing it across
the country. So while jobs are continuing to grow, and we might see a due case at the federal level, which is another great thing that we've seen twenty two thousand jobs leave the federal public workforce, and we're seeing it at the local level. So there's a lot to look forward to. There's a lot that we're excited about, and we couldn't be more excited for this economy and this third month in a row of a growing jobs report.
What do you think is behind the drop and the size of the labor force.
Well, what we want is to grow that labor force. We're seeing increases in construction jobs. We're seeing increases in transportation and healthcare, while the manufacturing sector is holding steady. What we're excited about is the focus that the President has on this skilled workforce. Again, my part of this equation is to grow that workforce. And as we transition through this process of on shoring, and the President has done a wonderful job in negotiating some of these tariff talks,
tens of trillions of dollars are being invested. This workforce is going to continue to grow.
The unemployment rate remain steady. A lot of economists will point to the fact that potentially it's for the wrong reasons, not because jobs are plentiful, but because workers are dropping out. Are you concerned that too many workers are dropping out, especially in some of these areas that are mostly filled with immigrants.
Well, certainly, what we have seen in the last few months is that native born Americans are the ones where the job growth is happening. That's exciting for the American people. We want to make sure that we're protecting the American worker first, and we want that labor participation rate to go up. I will tell you unemployment is holding steady. That is a good thing for the American economy. We'll
continue to focus on that. As the President's executive order with one million apprentices across the nation and also through an executive order that we're going to have the skilled workforce with AI I'm telling you and I'm confident that that workforce is going to continue to grow, and we're going to see these numbers continue to climb and unemployer rate continue to drop.
Do foresee wage pressures potentially re emerging to fill jobs if there are fewer immigrants coming to the United States, which is a policy of this administration.
Well, I can tell you right now that wage growth hourly wage growth is up almost four percent. That's great for the American people. More money in their pockets. And with this one big, beautiful bill that the President is focused on, we are going to see no tax on tips, no tax on over time. Do you know what that does for a family of four who possibly can put more money in their pocket. I can tell you this,
one big beautiful bill equals one big beautiful workforce. That's what I'm focused on, and I'm going to continue to work hard, get around this country and deliver for the American people what the President promised them that he would do.
I guess my question though, is if we have wage pressures re emerging, is there potentially a cycle where we can see higher inflation makes it harder for things like the Federal Reserve to step in and potentially cut interest rates.
Well, certainly, the President again is laser folks on growing the workforce. We're seeing unemployment hold study. It's been holding steady for you know, really running between four point zero and four point two percent over the last year. That's exciting for the American people. We are not seeing unemployment tick up, We're seeing ourgely wage growth go up. That's
again good for them. I'll be working with the President on this to make sure that we can continue to hold study and grow this economy.
The President posted on social media that America is quote hot, and he said six months ago it was ice cold. But six months ago, I'm looking at the non farm payroll numbers from six months ago, we were at three hundred and twenty three thousand and an unemployment rate even lower than we are today, a four point one percent. That is what arguably many people would call a hot labor market. What is he the President talking about, when he says we weren't we weren't hot.
Well. Under the last administration, we saw, for instance, manufacturing jobs take a tank over the last twenty years. That is what the President is bringing back, hard working blue collar Americans, where he's bringing labor and business together to grow the economy for the everyday average American. That's where
the change and the focus has been. And so the labor market is growing steady, and he's correct, it is hot, and it is better than what we had in the past administration one hundred percent.
But manufacturing peril numbers dropped eight thousand for the month of May.
But compared to the Biden administration, they've grown, they have continued to hold steady. That is the difference. When he stays laser focused on the American people and the American worker. I'm telling you as I go around this country and I visit the excitement in the labor force and in the participation rate. We're seeing that increase. Students, young people,
they're excited to get back into the labor market. So it's going to take some time, but I can tell you if we stay focused on the American people, I don't make a decision at the Department of Labor unless I know it's going to benefit the American worker.
First, you mentioned federal workers and those employment numbers dropping off. When you think about DOGE working inside the labor force, has it changed given the fact that Elon Musk has now left the administration and also given the fact that he's having this pretty massive breakup with the President of United States on social media.
Well, the focus of DOGE was a government efficiency. Again, that's what the President promised the American people that he was going to save them their hard earned tax dollars. Again, the focus is to make sure that we're being efficient with their tax dollars and still growing the economy. Listen,
we can have distractions all day long. This Job's report of one hundred and thirty nine thousand new jobs, I think is the primary focus today because that is what matters to the everyday workers who get up every morning and understand that the president has their best interests at heart.
So, even with Elon Musk not at the helm and also having this implosion with President Trump, do you still see DOGE working even inside the Labor Department?
Well, government efficiency I think is key, and I think for every secretary of every agency, we're going to continue to doge our own agencies because again, for the American people, they want to understand that we have their hard earned tax dollars, that we're spending it wisely and we're saving them dollars where there's inefficiencies. And I'll continue to focus on doging my own agency to make sure that we're saving the American tax dollars.
But we look forward to hearing about those number secretary. Just finally, the President has taken to social media again this morning and he's saying, too late, the FED is
a disaster. He's looking at what Jay Powell's doing, comparing it to Europe, which is already cut interest rates a number of times, and he says, despite them, though our country is still doing great, why would the Federal Reserve need to be cutting interest rates when you're telling us that this is a really fantastic and healthy wabor market.
Well, that's the focus, right, and sometimes you gotta have the stools stand on several different legs. The President does a wonderful job at negotiations. The President will have a conversation with the Treasury Secretary and he will determine when it's time to put the pressure on to lower those interest rates to make sure that we're still adding to the American economy and protecting the American worker.
Thanks so much for joining US. Labor Secretary Lori shav As Derma