The U.S. added 115,000 jobs in April, the government said in a report that far exceeded forecasts and marked the second straight month of large gains.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3%.
“In April, job gains occurred in health care, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade. Federal government employment continued to decline,” the BLS said in its summary.
It said industries such as construction, manufacturing and professional services saw little change.
Wall Street had been expecting employers to add about 55,000 jobs and for the unemployment rate to hold steady.
Hiring was sluggish throughout 2025, prompting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates despite lingering inflation concerns.
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Yet there have been signs of robust activity in 2026. U.S. employment increased by 178,000 in March, also defying forecasts.
“The April jobs report smashing expectations thanks to robust private-sector growth is yet another sign that the American economy remains on a solid trajectory under President Trump,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said on social media. “Every leading indicator is pointed in the right direction, and Americans can rest assured that the best is yet to come.”
Alfredo Ortiz, CEO of Job Creators Network, a conservative advocacy group, said the jobs boom can be traced to GOP tax cuts from last summer, “which made it easier for small businesses to start, expand, and hire.”
“While the media claims these job creation numbers are ‘a surprise,’ they in fact reflect a Main Street flourishing, thanks to conservative policies. Congressional Republicans can build on these gains by passing a reconciliation bill that includes more pro-growth reforms, such as indexing capital gains taxes to inflation,” he said.
Health care and social assistance led the gains, with 54,000 positions.
Manufacturing, a section prioritized by the Trump administration, declined slightly, by 2,000 positions.
The overall jobs tally was a bright spot at a tricky time for the economy.
The war in Iran is causing fluctuations in oil markets and a spike in the cost of gasoline, as Tehran strikes energy-producing Gulf nations and clamps down on the Strait of Hormuz.
The average U.S. gas price stood at $4.55 per gallon on Friday, according to the AAA motor club.
Farmers and other industries are pointing to supply shocks and price hikes due to restrictions on the shipment of fertilizer and other products.
“Wages are being eaten up by inflation due to the war in Iran. This is a big shift from the past several years when wages were growing well above inflation,” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, wrote on X. “Yes, workers have jobs, but this is a squeeze.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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