Trump Accidentally Releases What?
The White House said Friday it is reviewing its procedures for releasing economic data following what officials described as an unintentional early disclosure involving Donald Trump.
The review comes after the president shared a series of infographics on Truth Social Thursday evening that referenced figures later included in the December jobs report, which was officially released Friday morning.
Under established federal procedures, presidents receive advance briefings on major economic reports before they are made public. At the same time, existing guidelines bar the president and other White House officials from publicly commenting on or releasing sensitive economic information until at least one hour after its official release, a rule designed to protect financial markets.
A White House official addressed the matter in a statement Friday, emphasizing that the disclosure was not intentional.
“During the normal pre-briefing process, some aggregate information was unintentionally shared that included data tied to a report scheduled for later release,” the official said. “The White House is now reviewing its procedures for handling economic data to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.”
Administration officials also criticized media coverage surrounding the incident, urging greater attention to the substance of the economic report itself.
“Rather than attempting to manufacture controversy, the media should focus on what the jobs report actually shows,” the official added. “President Trump’s policies are laying the groundwork for economic recovery, with continued gains in GDP and real wages.”
December Jobs Report Shows Slower Hiring
According to the December report, the U.S. economy added 50,000 jobs last month, while the unemployment rate declined slightly to 4.4 percent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised previous estimates, reducing combined job gains for October and November by 68,000.
While overall economic output and productivity have improved, hiring has slowed, and inflation remains near levels seen in November 2024, when President Trump was elected after pledging to reduce costs for American families.
Economic analysts noted that job growth remains uneven. Mark Hamrick, senior analyst at Bankrate, described recent hiring trends as historically weak.
“Payroll growth in 2025 has been the softest since the pandemic-affected year of 2020,” Hamrick wrote. “Most job creation continues to come from health care, social assistance, and food services, while goods-producing sectors, including manufacturing, once again failed to add jobs.”
Despite the slowdown in hiring, the White House maintains that broader economic indicators point toward long-term improvement, citing rising productivity, stabilizing inflation, and strengthening wages as signs the administration’s economic agenda is beginning to take hold.
