Biden's Job Creation Figures Ignored Pandemic Effects

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, January 10, 2025, that nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 jobs in the past month, marking the largest increase since March. The unemployment rate has now fallen to below 4.1 percent. Over the course of Joe Biden's presidency, which began on January 20, 2021, a total of 16.6 million new jobs have been created.

An image shared by The Democrats presents a visual comparison of jobs created during the administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. It highlights Biden's job creation numbers prominently. However, the party misleadingly contrasts this with job losses experienced under President Trump, which were primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Misleading Claims By the Biden Administration Regarding Jobs 

The Biden administration has consistently highlighted robust job growth as a significant accomplishment. According to non-farm job data, nearly 6.7 million jobs were added during the first three years of Trump's presidency before substantial job losses occurred in 2020 due to COVID-19. Since Biden took office in January 2021, there has been an increase of almost 16 million jobs. Biden asserts that this represents the "fastest job growth at any point of any president in all of American history," though his administration has benefitted from a rapid recovery in economic activity as the country emerged from pandemic lockdowns.

The chart illustrates employment trends from February 2017 through November 2024. It shows a significant decline in nonfarm employment during early 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following this drop, there has been a gradual recovery, with employment figures steadily increasing from mid-2020 onwards. While the blue line indicates that employment has surpassed the pre-pandemic high level during the Biden administration, it is still below the pre-pandemic trend established during Donald Trump's presidency. 

Economic Recovery Post-COVID-19: A Rapid Turnaround

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a severe contraction in economic activity and significant job losses in early 2020, as government restrictions and public fear kept people at home and businesses closed. Low-wage workers, particularly women, workers of color, those without a bachelor’s degree, and foreign-born employees, were hit hardest, facing substantial employment and income declines. In response, federal policymakers implemented extensive relief and recovery measures in 2020 and 2021 to support the economy and alleviate hardships.

These actions spurred an economic recovery starting in May 2020, making the pandemic recession—recognized by the National Bureau of Economic Research as the shortest post-World War II recession—last only two months. The subsequent economic expansion was stronger and faster than initially expected, with job creation and economic activity surpassing pre-pandemic projections by the end of 2023. Initial concerns about the recovery may have been influenced by the slow recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, which was the worst recession since the Great Depression and resulted in prolonged high unemployment.

Anticipation of Economic Impact as Trump Prepares to Take Office

President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House on Monday, officially becoming the 47th president of the United States. Economists are eager to observe how his policies will affect the economy. 

Wall Street experienced a strong rally at the end of the year, with the S&P 500 rising by 23.3% in 2024. However, Trump has pledged to implement economic measures, such as tariffs on imports, which experts warn could lead to increased inflation. Additionally, his commitment to a significant deportation operation may also impact the nation's economic landscape.

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