The White House braces for a weak jobs report
Analysts are expecting the latest batch of jobs data to show employers adding jobs at a tepid pace
Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett speaks with reporters outside of the West Wing at the White House in Washington, DC on December 16, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/ AFP via Getty Images)
The White House isn't counting on a robust jobs report this week, according to one of its top economic officials.
"I think that you should expect slightly smaller job numbers that are consistent with high GDP growth right now, and that one shouldn't panic if you see a sequence of numbers that are lower than you're used to," White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC on Monday morning.
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The January jobs report is scheduled to be released on Wednesday following a brief delay due to partial government shutdown fears that didn't materialize. Analysts are expecting the latest batch of jobs data to show employers adding jobs at a tepid pace, aligning with what's been labeled as a "low hire, low fire" environment.
The January employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to show 69,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy. At the same time, the BLS will be releasing standard revisions to last year's jobs data, which could signal a significant deterioration in the labor market.
By comparison, U.S. payrolls climbed by 50,000 jobs in December, according to the BLS.
Signs are abundant that the labor market isn't healthy particularly for job seekers, even as financial markets notch new highs, unemployment remains low, and wage growth holds steady.
The payroll processor ADP said in a report released last week that private employers added 22,000 jobs in January, a paltry amount it attributed to a slowdown in the manufacturing and professional service sectors.