UPDATE 3:23 pm – See below for Sen. Mark warner’s statement on Trump’s firing of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after today’s “ deeply troubling jobs report.” So now, Sen. Warner points out correctly, “is trying to cook the books by firing the nonpolitical career civil servant who oversees the data, because he wants to hide the truth of his failed policies from the American people. “
STATEMENT OF U.S. SEN. MARK R. WARNER
~ On President Trump’s Firing of the Head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics ~
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance and Banking committees, issued the below statement after President Trump announced he fired Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, following today’s jobs report:
“Today’s deeply troubling jobs report makes one thing plain: the American economy is faltering, and it’s Donald Trump’s reckless policies that are to blame. Job growth has stalled, prices are rising, and uncertainty is paralyzing American businesses.
“Now the president is trying to cook the books by firing the nonpolitical career civil servant who oversees the data, because he wants to hide the truth of his failed policies from the American people.
“The jobs report confirmed what economists have been warning for months: President Trump’s chaotic trade war and erratic tariffs are slamming American businesses, stifling investment, and raising prices on families. And while working Americans are bearing the brunt, Trump’s partisan budget bill just handed massive tax cuts to the wealthiest while gutting Medicaid, raising health care premiums, and slashing food assistance for those who need it.
“With each passing day, President Trump shows he is willing to sacrifice American workers, families, and now even the integrity of our economic data in order to cover up the consequences of his failures.
“Firing the ump doesn’t change the score. Americans deserve to know the truth about the state of the Trump economy.”
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See below for some reactions by Virginia Democrats to today’s pathetic jobs numbers, as we see “a signal that pockets of weakness that had been marring the labor market are starting to take hold.” As economist Heather Long writes:
“I’ve been calling this a ‘Frozen’ job market for awhile. Now I would call it a red flag. The economy is barely adding any jobs. July: 73,000 June: 14,000 –> The weakest since Dec 2020 May: 19,000”
And as Paul Krugman explains:
“It’s highly likely that what we’re seeing is the effect of Trump’s tariffs — or more precisely the uncertainty that his erratic tariff policy has created…the revised numbers now show exactly the kind of uncertainty-induced slowdown I and many others predicted.”
So that’s where we’re at now – Trump inherited an economy that was basically firing on all cylinders, with historically low unemployment and inflation coming down to near the Federal Reserve’s target, and in just a few months appears to have squandered that. Of course, Trump is great at squandering inheritances, then getting bailed out, then squandering it again. Unfortunately, unlike when he was a private businessperson, now he’s president, so the damage he’s going is hurting ALL OF US. Great job, Trump voters (not)!
With that, here are some reactions by Virginians…I’ll add more as I see them.
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Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08): “For three months now job growth has been carried by two sectors – health care and social assistance – both of which were targeted for massive funding cuts by Trump and Republicans in the Big Ugly Bill. Without those sectors the U.S. economy lost jobs in the second quarter.”
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08)’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Aaron Fritschner: “If the July jobs number gets revised down even a bit more than half as much as May and June were it will be a negative number, and that seems very possible if not likely.” “All job growth in July came from two job sectors that are about to take body blows from Republicans’ big ugly bill, which made massive cuts to both sectors.” “Jay Powell having to seriously consider rate cuts when Trump’s tariffs are pushing inflation higher because Trump’s tariffs are also strangling the job market.” “For the last three months we averaged just 35,000 jobs added per month. That number is horrible and if it had come out that way in real time instead of via revisions all of the red lights would be flashing and recession concerns would be everywhere.”
Ghazala Hashmi Statement on Jobs Report
Reid Nods Along as Trump Tariffs Kill Jobs
Richmond — Today, Virginia Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-SD-15), Democratic nominee for Virginia Lieutenant Governor, released the following statement regarding today’s jobs report showing three consecutive months of weakness in the labor market:
“Today’s jobs report makes it clear: Trump’s reckless tariffs are killing jobs and devastating our families. Nevertheless, John Reid proudly stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Donald Trump on his tariff policy.
While Trump threatens our livelihoods and Reid bends the knee, I’ve been working to strengthen Virginia’s economy and create jobs by investing in workforce development in partnership with our schools and colleges. I’ll build on that leadership as Lieutenant Governor. Virginia needs executive leadership that will fight for our working families, not blindly submit to Trump’s destructive agenda.”
Virginia Democrat and political analyst Sam Shirazi: “Important to note that this trend has been seen in Virginia. Unemployment rate here was 3% in January and rose to 3.5% in June. Still below national average, but clearly something is happening. Economy will continue to be major issue on campaign trail.”
Virginia was the only state where unemployment ROSE in June and today’s jobs report was bleak, only 35,000 jobs added per month. Why? Because the Trump Administration gutted our federal workforce. That’s less income in our communities, fewer customers for local small businesses,… pic.twitter.com/FitvMHZA2y
— Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) (@RepSuhas) August 1, 2025
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REMINDER: Sears Continues to Support Trump’s Attacks on Virginia Jobs and Economy As Job Market Slows
VIRGINIA – As today’s jobs report showed the weakest three-month period of job growth since 2020 – Winsome Earle-Sears continues to support Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s jobs and economy. This comes after June marked the sixth straight month that the unemployment rate rose in Virginia.
“As Virginians lose their jobs and face economic uncertainty, Winsome Earle-Sears has cheered on Trump’s attacks on the Commonwealth’s workforce and economy and said she doesn’t understand why this is a ‘huge, huge thing.’ As our economy continues to be hurt by Trump’s reckless actions, it is just another reminder that Virginians can’t trust Sears to lead the Commonwealth,” said DPVA Communications Director Kelsey Carolan.
Read more about Sears’ extreme record defending and downplaying the attacks on Virginia jobs:
Winsome Earle-Sears has defended Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s workforce and economy.
- She told the Associated Press that she backed Trump’s efforts and she doubled down.
- She also said Virginians facing layoffs will “be all right.”
- The Youngkin-Sears administration’s response to workers at risk of losing their jobs was “update your resume.”
- As Donald Trump attacked Virginia’s workforce and economy, Sears declared she would help Trump “get the job done” if she were governor.
- Sears has also said “I’m supporting what the President is doing.”
Winsome Earle-Sears has dismissed and laughed off attacks on Virginia jobs over and over again.
- Winsome Earle-Sears was caught on tape dismissing and laughing off the attacks on Virginia jobs saying “the media is making it out to be a huge, huge thing… and I don’t understand why.”
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- When a reporter asked about her comments exposed by Meidas Touch, Sears doubled down and said her message to Virginians facing layoffs is “Don’t despair. Please go to the website.”
- Instead of standing up to attacks on Virginia jobs, Sears told Virginians facing layoffs “don’t fret” during an interview with WTOP.
- Sears also said “just about everybody has lost a job … It is life happening.”
Last month, CNBC announced that Virginia lost the “Top State for Business” ranking due to the attacks on Virginia jobs.
Kaine: “Donald Trump inherited what was the strongest economy in the world, and by chaos and tariffs he is really running it aground. The tariff situation raises costs on everyday products. You’re gonna see a stair-step up when you do your back-to-school shopping, and another… pic.twitter.com/LRKpkla70X
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 1, 2025
Trump Blasts Economy With Massive Tariffs As Job Growth Craters And Inflation Spikes
August 1, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – This morning the July jobs report showed that the U.S. labor market slowed markedly in the second quarter of 2025, with only 106,000 total jobs added, an average of just 35,000 jobs per month over the last three months. Most job growth during this period came in two sectors, health care and social assistance, which were the target of major funding cuts by Republicans and President Trump in the recently-enacted H.R. 1; without these sectors the U.S. economy would have lost jobs on balance during the second quarter.
Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves as Senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee and is a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, issued the following statement:
“Today’s brutal jobs report confirms that President Trump’s tariffs are a major drag on the U.S. economy. But as Trump’s tariffs slowly strangle the economy, he is announcing huge new tariffs that will squeeze it even harder.
“Those of us who opposed Trump’s trade wars warned from the beginning that they would raise prices for the American people, hurt relationships with our allies, and damage small businesses with self-inflicted chaos and uncertainty. Now Trump’s tariffs are causing inflation to rise, economic growth slowed in the first half of 2025, and the job market – a primary source of strength and stability through fluctuations in the post-pandemic economy – is weakening sharply. Everything we warned would happen is in fact happening.
“As Trump piles massive new tariffs on key trading partners with bogus justifications, for instance on Canada or Brazil, or no justification at all, as in the case of India, Switzerland, Taiwan, and others, the costs will once again be paid by the American people via higher prices. None of the promised benefits are materializing, we are not seeing a ‘golden age’ and we are actually losing manufacturing jobs. It is becoming increasingly clear that there is no strategy here, only a determination to bully other countries – no matter how much it harms America.
“Democrats have bills that would stop this madness, but not only are Republicans unwilling to break with Trump as he wrecks our economy, they just made the damage even worse by enacting the largest health care cut in history.”
Rep. Beyer serves on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, chairs the New Democrat Coalition’s Trade Task Force, and serves as Senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee. He is the sponsor of the Congressional Trade Authority Act, which would rein in presidential abuses of authorities under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, and the co-lead, with Rep. Suzan DelBene, of legislation to end abuses of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff authorities.
