Employers Added a Robust 172,000 Jobs in May
June 5, 2026, 10:06 a.m. ETWhite House rejoices over strong jobs report.The White House celebrated a stronger-than-expected jobs report on Friday, insisting that the uptick in hiring shows that the U.S. economy remains strong even as the war with Iran continues to elevate oil and gas prices.The report, which showed that employers added 172,000 jobs in May, doubled as a political win for President Trump, who has struggled for months to tamp down voters’ mounting economic anxieties. It offers him a new talking point as he races to shore up support for his flagging agenda, months before voters head to the ballot box for the midterm elections.But the strong hiring, which greatly outpaced analyst expectations, came with an important caveat. The growth in the labor market — on top of uncomfortably high inflation recently — seemed to reduce the chances that the Federal Reserve would lower interest rates any time soon.Mr. Trump has repeatedly called for those steep cuts. Weeks...







