U.S. Economy Adds 172,000 Jobs in May, Exceeding Expectations

Jun 5, 2026

The U.S. economy added 172,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in May 2026, surpassing market expectations as employers continued hiring despite economic uncertainty. Unemployment held steady at 4.3%, reflecting stable labor market conditions. Health care and social assistance sectors accounted for 47,000 of the new jobs, representing more than a quarter of total gains, while hospitality also saw strong hiring ahead of the World Cup.

May jobs report

▪New World screwworm was detected in cattle in Texas as of June 2026.
▪Of the 172,000 jobs added in May 2026, only 47,000 were in health care and social assistance sectors.
▪The U.S. economy added 172,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in May 2026.
▪The May 2026 U.S. jobs report of 172,000 jobs exceeded market expectations.

Trump DOJ slush fund

▪Todd Blanche stated he would not implement Donald Trump's $1.8 billion Department of Justice fund.
▪Donald Trump's Department of Justice created a $1.8 billion fund for professed victims of weaponization by the Department of Justice.
▪A Democratic amendment to block Donald Trump's $1.8 billion Department of Justice fund failed in the Senate on June 4, 2026.
▪Todd Blanche agreed to set up the $1.8 billion Department of Justice fund as part of a settlement of a Donald Trump lawsuit against the IRS.

Trump family tax immunity

▪Todd Blanche's firm received more than $9 million from a pro-Trump PAC in 2023 and 2024.
▪The Department of Justice revealed a tax immunity guarantee for Donald Trump and his family on May 19, 2026.
▪Todd Blanche's immunity order could save Donald Trump more than $100 million in known tax obligations the IRS might otherwise have recovered.

Senate immigration enforcement funding

▪Senate Republicans voted on June 5, 2026 to add $70 billion to immigration enforcement funding.
▪Much of the new $70 billion immigration enforcement funding will be used to hire and equip new ICE and Border Patrol officers.
▪The U.S. Senate had previously approved $170 billion for immigration enforcement less than a year before June 2026.

January 6th pardonee recidivism

▪Donald Trump pardoned more than a thousand January 6th criminals on the first day of his second term in office.
▪97 people pardoned by Donald Trump for January 6th offenses committed crimes again within 500 days of the pardons.
▪At least six January 6th pardonees have faced domestic violence charges.
▪At least 14 January 6th pardonees have been charged with sex crimes or crimes related to child sexual abuse material.
▪Five January 6th pardonees were arrested in connection with conduct that occurred at least in part after Donald Trump freed them from prison in January 2025.
▪Andrew Paul Johnson, a January 6th pardonee freed from prison in 2025, was convicted of five charges including child molestation in February 2026 and sentenced to life in prison.