Trump's Numbers, October 2026 Update

Key Points:

• Job growth slowed significantly during Trump’s second term with only 776,000 jobs created, unemployment rising slightly to 4.2%, and labor force participation declining to 61.8%, though still historically low unemployment. Manufacturing jobs saw a net loss initially but showed some recovery in 2026.
• Inflation worsened, with consumer prices up 5.4% and gasoline prices increasing by 38%, outpacing wage growth which barely kept up with inflation initially but declined in 2026; the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to combat inflation.
• The U.S. economy maintained steady growth with GDP increasing 2.2% in Q2 2026 and projections indicating continued resilience despite shocks from energy costs and trade policy changes; however, consumer sentiment remains low and home sales have slowed amid rising mortgage rates.
• Immigration enforcement tightened sharply, with a 91% drop in apprehensions at the southern border and a nearly 90% decrease in refugee admissions, largely due to Trump’s restrictive policies, including suspending refugee admissions except for South African Afrikaners.
• Crime rates saw historic declines in 2025, with violent crime down 9.7% and murder rates dropping 18.5%, the largest one-year decreases on record, though experts attribute the decline to multiple factors rather than solely federal policies.