How Is Job Growth Under Trump? Well....

Well... We are still adding jobs as we move into the 10th month of the Trump Presidency.  That's a good thing considering the uncertainty and absurdity of many of the President's policies. 

But how are we doing compared to the last 5-6 years of the Obama Presidency?

Let's not just look at raw jobs numbers, but let's look at the percentage increase in jobs numbers over six month periods.  That will even out the jobs numbers, which tend to jump up and down month to month, over a six month period. 

Here is what job growth has looked like over the past five years when calculated as a percentage increase over any running six month period:

Source:  Change in BLS jobs numbers from chart CES0000000001
over any 6 month period as a %

     

You may have to click on the graph to really look at it, but just compare the red sticks on the right (job growth under Trump) with the green and blue sticks.  Job growth has been slowing slightly since 2015.  Job growth is certainly lower under the Trump administration than it was during the five month transition period (green sticks) or the Obama years (blue sticks) displayed on this graph.

What does the future hold for job growth under Trump? 

We really don't know.  We know that job growth is usually better under Democratic administrations, but  there's nothing predictive there.  Basically, though, Trump crows about job growth.. but it really isn't that great (so far) or that special.