The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs, and unemployment rose 4.4 percent in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, a dismal economic showing for an economy that was already on shaky ground.
“Let me put this another way: The US economy has LOST jobs since April 2025. Total job gains since from May 2025 to February 2026 are now -19,000,” Navy Federal chief economist Heather Long wrote. “Companies are not hiring in the face of all of these headwinds and uncertainty. And even healthcare is starting to slow down.”
JUST IN: A dismal February jobs report. The U.S. economy LOST 92,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate ticked back up to 4.4%. Even healthcare shed 28,000 jobs in February. December was also revised down to -17,000. January was revised to 126k.
Unemployment rate: 4.4%… pic.twitter.com/hHgQZu0vTB— Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) March 6, 2026
Job losses hit nearly every major sector, including health care. And Black unemployment is back up to 7.7 percent after being down at 7.3 percent in January.
Stagnant job growth has been a defining trend of the Trump economy in this second term, even as the president blames any negative trends on former President Biden while declaring over and over again that the economy is thriving every day. And this February report doesn’t account for the cost of the war President Trump just started with Iran, which will surely drive up gas prices and squeeze people thin while they can’t even find a job.
Trump has yet to comment on the numbers.
This story has been updated.
