Under Trump, the American worker is winning

OPINION:

A year has passed, and the results are in: The Trump administration has been putting the American worker first since day one.

During his historic first year back in office, President Trump’s bold leadership has bolstered economic growth, crushed inflation and slashed burdensome regulations at lightning speed.

Under Mr. Trump, wage growth has been up 4.1% over the last three months, inflation has plunged to its lowest point in nearly five years and the unemployment rate is at a low 4.4%.

We are leading an American economic revival and paving the way for a new golden age for the American worker.

In the last year alone, our Labor Department:

Awarded $86 million in new training investments for states to upskill the American workforce;

Announced 63 deregulatory actions to cut red tape on businesses and spark greater economic opportunity; and

Partnered with the Education Department to build a streamlined federal education and workforce system that gives students clearer, more direct pathways from school to careers.

In total, Mr. Trump has created more than 650,000 jobs since returning to office and the number continues to climb.

As we enter this new year, one thing is certain: The president’s “America First” policies are delivering results and Americans are getting back to work.

Economic growth for the American people

Mr. Trump wasted no time in lowering costs to put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans. On his watch, Americans have seen the largest tax cut in American history.

Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cut Act (WFTCA), signed into law in July, the average family of four will see a take-home pay increase of as much as $13,300. This historic legislation will also advance the president’s mission to Make America Skilled Again.

In addition to fantastic provisions such as no taxes on tips, overtime or Social Security, the WFTCA is expanding Pell Grants for students pursuing technical education and skills training, creating more opportunities for future tradesmen and -women.

The Trump administration is proud to support apprenticeships, which provide an alternative to a four-year degree, training people as they earn on the job.

Last year, the Department of Labor added more than 315,000 new apprentices and registered more than 2,600 new apprenticeship programs.

But we won’t stop there. We’re on track to reach Mr. Trump’s goal of 1 million new active apprentices, which will help fill in-demand, mortgage-paying jobs in the trades.

Delivering for the American people

Mr. Trump is committed to ensuring American jobs go to American workers. That’s why the Labor Department has taken decisive action.

Last year, we began Project Firewall, an effort to ensure employers do not unlawfully displace American workers with cheap foreign labor.

We launched nearly 200 investigations into companies suspected of abusing the H-1B visa program, and our work to restore American economic dominance continues.

Thanks to Mr. Trump’s leadership, all net job growth last year went to American-born workers in the private sector. And we are doing everything we can to ignite even more growth by supporting employers.

To provide greater clarity for business owners as they navigate modern work arrangements, we’ve issued guidance on the classification of independent contractors.

Additionally, the Labor Department is considering the appropriate standard to determine joint employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

We’ve also rescinded guidance from the Biden administration that restricted the use of crypto in retirement investments and we’re taking steps to allow 401(k) investors to access alternative assets.

Under the president’s leadership, I will keep taking concrete action to deliver results for business owners, workers and retirees from their Department of Labor.

Developing the workforce of the future

The Labor Department is playing a key role in developing a future-ready workforce, laying the groundwork for global artificial intelligence dominance.

Last year, Mr. Trump launched his AI Action Plan, which established a roadmap for a new era of economic prosperity for American workers, starting with boosting AI literacy and investing in skills training. These early investments are crucial to maintaining a competitive advantage.

Over the next 10 years, AI advancements are expected to create an estimated 5% surge in demand for skilled trades jobs.

As part of the plan, the Labor Department is planning to launch an AI Workforce Hub to study how AI is affecting jobs and to guide future workforce policy.

We will continue delivering on the president’s vision for the future by building a stronger, more resilient American workforce ready to lead in an AI-driven economy.

Looking ahead

The Trump administration’s priority always has been and always will be the American worker. This has been the president’s priority since he first took office in January 2017 and remained when he triumphantly returned to the White House in January 2025.

Everything we do at the Department of Labor is focused on putting America First. From investing in apprenticeships and workforce training, to promoting AI literacy development, to protecting the American worker from foreign visa abuse, to putting more money in the hands of hardworking Americans — the Trump administration is working for you.

Thanks to President Trump’s “America First” policies in action, the golden age of the American worker is on the horizon.

• Lori Chavez-DeRemer is the U.S. secretary of labor.