Economics

Trump’s Jobs Record Fell Short of Promises Even Before the Virus

Tax cuts gave slight boost, while trade war likely hurt jobs.

Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Xtreme Manufacturing's warehouse in Henderson, Nevada, on Sept. 13. — Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Xtreme Manufacturing's warehouse in Henderson, Nevada, on Sept. 13.
Photographer: Roger Kisby/Bloomberg

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By Reade Pickert and Catarina Saraiva

September 29, 2020 at 8:00 AM UTC

Updated on

September 29, 2020 at 4:09 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

When Donald Trump ran for president, he boasted he would be the “greatest jobs president that God ever created.”

Now, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Trump heads into the November election on track to be the first U.S. leader since World War II to oversee a net loss of jobs during a four-year term.