Employers added 22,000 jobs in August, falling short of forecasts

Employers across the U.S. added 22,000 jobs in August, falling short of economists' muted expectations and signaling the labor market is facing sharp headwinds from mounting economic uncertainty amid the Trump administration's wide-ranging tariffs.

Economists had forecast payroll gains of 80,000 last month, according to a poll by FactSet.

Job creation has been slowing this year, with employers hiring an average of 35,000 each month from May through July, versus 168,000 workers each month in 2024.

Some companies are paring back hiring plans amid the on-again, off-again uncertainty of the Trump administration's tariffs, which are import duties paid by U.S. companies. Businesses in seven of the Fed's 12 regional districts canvassed in the latest so-called Beige Book, a survey of local economic conditions, said they were hesitant to hire because of weaker demand and uncertainty over the near-term outlook.

Consumers are also dour, with a new CBS News poll finding that Americans are continuing to rate the U.S. economy negatively, with most respondents picking "uncertain" and "struggling" to describe its current state.

The August jobs report marks the first since President Trump fired former Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Aug. 1 in the wake of a disappointing July jobs report, which included a significant downward revision of May and June hiring figures.

Citing the large revisions, Mr. Trump questioned the validity of the government data, although the BLS typically revises its prior reports each month based on fresher responses from employers.

The labor market data is complicating the Federal Reserve's next rate cut decision, which set for Sept. 17. The central bank's dual mandate requires it to ensure that both inflation and unemployment remain low, but inflation has been edging upward, which economists say is partly due to Mr. Trump's tariffs.

The Fed's most powerful weapon for battling inflation is to hike interest rates, yet its best option for helping the job market is to lower borrowing costs, making it cheaper for businesses to expand. With the combination of rising inflation and weaker hiring, the Fed is in a tough position, economists say.

Last month, Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who has been under pressure from Mr. Trump to cut rates, signaled that the central bank is open to reducing rates at its September meeting, citing risks to the labor market.

"The August report is shaping up to be one of the more consequential in some time. It will directly affect the Federal Reserve's decision on whether to cut rates or continue to evaluate the direction of inflation, which is moving in the wrong direction," Joe Brusuelas, global economist at RSM, said in an email prior the job report.

— This is breaking news and will be updated.