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June 6, 2025 • 8 mins

US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer reacts to the May report that shows the US added 139,000 new jobs, topping estimates. She says the Trump administration is focused on growing the workforce and says "native born Americans" are getting more jobs. She speaks to Bloomberg's Annmarie Hordern.

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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio News.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, we'd like to bring in the Labor Secretary now,
Lori Chavez Durima. Thank you so much, Secretary for joining
us as we are on the heels of this May
report where the US added one hundred and thirty nine
thousand jobs, beating estimates. But I would love to start
with the decline in the size of the labor force
down six hundred and twenty six thousand, largest drop since

(00:29):
twenty twenty three. Is this because the administration has shut
down immigration?

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Well, thank you Adm. Marie for having me. We are
excited one hundred and thirty nine thousand new jobs and
that President Trump, with his dedication and his leadership, really
has beat expectations for the third month in a row.
Our goal is to grow this economy and grow this workforce,
and the President has done a wonderful job in accessing

(00:57):
companies to invest in the workforce. We're seeing it across
the country. So while jobs are continuing to grow, and
we might see a due case at the federal level,
which is another great thing that we've seen twenty two
thousand jobs leave the federal public workforce, and we're seeing
it at the local level. So there's a lot to
look forward to. There's a lot that we're excited about,

(01:17):
and we couldn't be more excited for this economy and
this third month in a row of a growing jobs report.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
What do you think is behind the drop and the
size of the labor force.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, what we want is to grow that labor force.
We're seeing increases in construction jobs. We're seeing increases in
transportation and healthcare, while the manufacturing sector is holding steady.
What we're excited about is the focus that the President
has on this skilled workforce. Again, my part of this
equation is to grow that workforce. And as we transition

(01:47):
through this process of on shoring, and the President has
done a wonderful job in negotiating some of these tariff talks,
tens of trillions of dollars are being invested. This workforce
is going to continue to grow.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
The unemployment rate remain steady. A lot of economists will
point to the fact that potentially it's for the wrong reasons,
not because jobs are plentiful, but because workers are dropping out.
Are you concerned that too many workers are dropping out,
especially in some of these areas that are mostly filled
with immigrants.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Well, certainly, what we have seen in the last few
months is that native born Americans are the ones where
the job growth is happening. That's exciting for the American people.
We want to make sure that we're protecting the American
worker first, and we want that labor participation rate to
go up. I will tell you unemployment is holding steady.

(02:38):
That is a good thing for the American economy. We'll
continue to focus on that. As the President's executive order
with one million apprentices across the nation and also through
an executive order that we're going to have the skilled
workforce with AI I'm telling you and I'm confident that
that workforce is going to continue to grow, and we're
going to see these numbers continue to climb and unemployer

(03:00):
rate continue to drop.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
Do foresee wage pressures potentially re emerging to fill jobs
if there are fewer immigrants coming to the United States,
which is a policy of this administration.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
Well, I can tell you right now that wage growth
hourly wage growth is up almost four percent. That's great
for the American people. More money in their pockets. And
with this one big, beautiful bill that the President is
focused on, we are going to see no tax on tips,
no tax on over time. Do you know what that
does for a family of four who possibly can put
more money in their pocket. I can tell you this,

(03:34):
one big beautiful bill equals one big beautiful workforce. That's
what I'm focused on, and I'm going to continue to
work hard, get around this country and deliver for the
American people what the President promised them that he would do.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
I guess my question though, is if we have wage
pressures re emerging, is there potentially a cycle where we
can see higher inflation makes it harder for things like
the Federal Reserve to step in and potentially cut interest rates.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Well, certainly, the President again is laser folks on growing
the workforce. We're seeing unemployment hold study. It's been holding
steady for you know, really running between four point zero
and four point two percent over the last year. That's
exciting for the American people. We are not seeing unemployment
tick up, We're seeing ourgely wage growth go up. That's
again good for them. I'll be working with the President

(04:19):
on this to make sure that we can continue to
hold study and grow this economy.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
The President posted on social media that America is quote hot,
and he said six months ago it was ice cold.
But six months ago, I'm looking at the non farm
payroll numbers from six months ago, we were at three
hundred and twenty three thousand and an unemployment rate even
lower than we are today, a four point one percent.
That is what arguably many people would call a hot
labor market. What is he the President talking about, when

(04:45):
he says we weren't we weren't hot.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well. Under the last administration, we saw, for instance, manufacturing
jobs take a tank over the last twenty years. That
is what the President is bringing back, hard working blue
collar Americans, where he's bringing labor and business together to
grow the economy for the everyday average American. That's where
the change and the focus has been. And so the
labor market is growing steady, and he's correct, it is hot,

(05:10):
and it is better than what we had in the
past administration one hundred percent.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
But manufacturing peril numbers dropped eight thousand for the month
of May.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
But compared to the Biden administration, they've grown, they have
continued to hold steady. That is the difference. When he
stays laser focused on the American people and the American worker.
I'm telling you as I go around this country and
I visit the excitement in the labor force and in
the participation rate. We're seeing that increase. Students, young people,
they're excited to get back into the labor market. So
it's going to take some time, but I can tell

(05:40):
you if we stay focused on the American people, I
don't make a decision at the Department of Labor unless
I know it's going to benefit the American worker.

Speaker 2 (05:49):
First, you mentioned federal workers and those employment numbers dropping off.
When you think about DOGE working inside the labor force,
has it changed given the fact that Elon Musk has
now left the administration and also given the fact that
he's having this pretty massive breakup with the President of
United States on social media.

Speaker 1 (06:09):
Well, the focus of DOGE was a government efficiency. Again,
that's what the President promised the American people that he
was going to save them their hard earned tax dollars. Again,
the focus is to make sure that we're being efficient
with their tax dollars and still growing the economy. Listen,
we can have distractions all day long. This Job's report
of one hundred and thirty nine thousand new jobs, I

(06:30):
think is the primary focus today because that is what
matters to the everyday workers who get up every morning
and understand that the president has their best interests at heart.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
So, even with Elon Musk not at the helm and
also having this implosion with President Trump, do you still
see DOGE working even inside the Labor Department?

Speaker 1 (06:48):
Well, government efficiency I think is key, and I think
for every secretary of every agency, we're going to continue
to doge our own agencies because again, for the American people,
they want to understand that we have their hard earned
tax dollars, that we're spending it wisely and we're saving
them dollars where there's inefficiencies. And I'll continue to focus
on doging my own agency to make sure that we're

(07:10):
saving the American tax dollars.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
But we look forward to hearing about those number secretary.
Just finally, the President has taken to social media again
this morning and he's saying, too late, the FED is
a disaster. He's looking at what Jay Powell's doing, comparing
it to Europe, which is already cut interest rates a
number of times, and he says, despite them, though our
country is still doing great, why would the Federal Reserve
need to be cutting interest rates when you're telling us

(07:33):
that this is a really fantastic and healthy wabor market.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
Well, that's the focus, right, and sometimes you gotta have
the stools stand on several different legs. The President does
a wonderful job at negotiations. The President will have a
conversation with the Treasury Secretary and he will determine when
it's time to put the pressure on to lower those
interest rates to make sure that we're still adding to
the American economy and protecting the American worker.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
Thanks so much for joining US. Labor Secretary Lori shav
As Derma
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