What They Are Saying: Blowout October Jobs Report Smashes Expectations
President Donald J. Trump has long said that America is the hottest country in the world — and today’s blockbuster jobs report delivers the proof. The economy added a massive 165,000 new jobs in October, more than double what experts expected, with the unemployment rate falling, manufacturing surging, prior months revised sharply higher, and broad-based gains. Experts agree: this is a booming labor market.

Here’s what they’re saying:
Edward Jones Senior Global Strategist Angelo Kourkafas: “This was a blowout jobs report. Payroll growth exceeded expectations, revisions were positive, the unemployment rate fell, participation improved, and wage growth strengthened.”
EY-Parthenon Chief Economist Gregory Daco: “It’s as good as can be, really.”
Allianz Trade North America Senior Economist Dan North: “You have to look pretty hard to find something to dislike in there. It’s a really, really good report, and all around I think you’d say it’s stronger than expected and the best one in a while, and it kind of fits with what I call the stable but perhaps unexciting labor market.”
Edward Jones Head of Investment Strategy Mona Mahajan: “This is a strong number. It supports the view that the underlying fundamentals of this economy have held in there. We’ve seen a strong manufacturing economy, we’ve seen a strong services economy, and we see a pretty robust labor market.”
Principal Asset Management Chief Global Strategist Seema Shah: “Today’s jobs report is a strong rebuttal to fears that the economy is heading into a meaningful slowdown. Payrolls growth surprised firmly to the upside, unemployment fell back to 4.1%, and job creation remains broad-based, pointing to an economy that is still absorbing labor comfortably rather than one beginning to buckle under tighter financial conditions.”
Fitch Ratings Head of U.S. Economics Olu Sonola: “Strength on strength. This is a very strong labor-market report on the heels of solid GDP and consumer-spending data last week, reinforcing the economy’s positive momentum.”
Bloomberg Senior Editor Chris Anstey: “It’s worth noting that, with the October gain in factory payrolls, total manufacturing employment is now a net positive since Trump returned to office.”
Navy Federal Credit Union Chief Economist Heather Long: “A blowout jobs report. The US economy added 165,000 jobs in October. That’s above expectations of ~65k. August and September also revised a lot higher. There was a big surge in professional and biz services hiring (+70k!), along with ongoing gains in healthcare and transportation”
Former Obama Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jason Furman: “If you pay attention to numbers obsessively day-to-day you can miss the bigger picture. And the bigger picture is that this might be the best–or among the best–job markets we’ve ever had–as measured by delivering jobs for people that want them.”
Bloomberg Global Head of Market Innovation Michael McDonough: “A much stronger U.S. jobs picture. Payrolls rose 165k in October, topping every forecast in the Bloomberg survey. The 3-month moving average has now climbed to 137k, up from just 28k in July and the strongest since May. The improvement is also broadening: professional & business services, education & health, trade/transportation, and manufacturing are all making meaningful contributions.”
Economist Steve Moore: “The Trump economy is creating opportunities for Americans who know how to do things. Employers need electricians, welders, mechanics and skilled tradesmen, not another generation of gender studies majors. The jobs are out there. We need workers with the skills to fill them!”
TD Securities Head of U.S. Economics Oscar Munoz: “The report was broadly strong.”
Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Ira Jersey: “There’s nothing weak in the report at all except the underemployment rate moving a bit higher, but the rest of the underlying data was solid.”
Economist E.J. Antoni: “Productive private sector added 159k jobs last month while gov’t added just 6k – great to see growth coming from the real economy and not the bloated bureaucracy in Washington”
The Washington Post reporter Lauren Kaori Gurley: “The U.S. economy added 165,000 jobs in October, shattering expectations and suggesting new strength in the labor market, especially for white collar, health care and manufacturing workers.”
The New York Times business reporter Sydney Ember: “Hiring was unexpectedly strong in October, when employers added workers at a vigorous pace. Employers added 165,000 jobs last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, and the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent. Job gains for August and September were revised upward by a total of 84,000 positions. Average hourly earnings rose 3.1 percent compared with the same time last year.”
Fox Business Network host Taylor Riggs: “Huge numbers to report for the month of October. Nonfarm payrolls come in at 165,000… 100,000 over where we thought it would be.”
Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling: “The American labor market is the strongest it has been in more than half a century, and President Trump’s leadership continues to drive job growth in the United States as the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1% and we added 165,000 new jobs. Since the President took office, we have surpassed 1.25 million new private sector jobs and doubled the monthly breakeven rate. The manufacturing sector has added more than 100,000 jobs in 2026, including 19,000 in October. This historic growth is driven by trillions of dollars of domestic investment that President Trump has secured. Initial jobless claims fell to 189,000 last week, matching the lowest level recorded since 1969. We are now in the 10th consecutive month of manufacturing expansion, and the combination of reshored production, record investment, and the Working Families Tax Cuts is delivering economic security for the nation.”
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent: “Thanks to America’s unrivaled entrepreneurial spirit and dynamism, the re-industrialization and re-privatization of the American economy are gathering extraordinary force. Today’s jobs report shows our great American companies have created nearly 400,000 private-sector jobs in the past three months. Manufacturing employment has now risen by over 100,000 in 2026 alone. We are fundamentally rebalancing the American economy, away from government-led growth and toward private investment, productive employment, and the revival of our industrial base.”
Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett: “We have a jobs report that was way more than double expectation, and the upward revisions were ginormous… What we’ve got is a job market that’s hitting on all cylinders.”
Administrator of the Small Business Administration Kelly Loeffler: “Today’s jobs report blew past experts’ forecasts once again with strong growth across sectors. Manufacturing added 19k more jobs in Oct, which is over 100k manufacturing jobs added since Dec 2025. 98% of manufacturers are small businesses! Made in America is coming back thanks to @POTUS – and with it, good-paying jobs and stronger communities.”
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner: “The U.S. economy added 165,000 jobs. 100,000 more than expected. @POTUS is delivering for the American people. More paychecks mean more families who can save, qualify, and buy.”

