Last week, newly released national employment data showed that the U.S. lost 23,000 jobs in July. However, despite the slowdown in hiring, the labor force remains resilient and women continue to benefit from job gains in trends since the beginning of the Trump administration.
There are several factors that help to explain the drop in July hiring and point to the decrease being temporary. The sector of local government education, which was the leading sector for jobs lost in July, is impacted by seasonal changes, as teacher and administrator contracts conclude during the summer vacation. Additionally, employment in the summer months also often takes a hit from mothers leaving the workforce in order to take care of their children during their vacation from school.
Other industries, such as hospitality and leisure, are also feeling the impact of the end of the World Cup, which brought massive economic boosts to host cities, but are now contracting again after events have concluded.
Other sectors, such as health care, saw strong growth. Health care added 22,000 jobs in July, continuing positive job trends for the industry, which has flourished with 951,800 jobs added since January 2025. Construction also saw gains from continued positive momentum throughout this year, with 22,000 jobs added in July. This is likely driven by the construction of data centers, as use of AI increases across personal and professional life. Both these industries look poised to continue growing, as there is consistent demand for their services.
There are other indications of the underlying resilience of the economy. From the new U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimate, consumer spending, which had been slower in the first quarter of 2026, has increased again to 2.12%, showing increased consumer confidence in the economy. GDP also increased overall in the second quarter by 1.5%. These are signs of economic strength maintained throughout the economy as a whole.
Exceptional Job Growth For Women
Additionally, there are more signs for optimism for women in the workforce. In a new economic analysis by economist Justin Wolfers, 86% of new payroll jobs created under the Trump administration went to women. Of the 468,000 jobs added during Trump’s second term, women have received 403,000, while men have been employed in 65,000 of them.
The female dominance of growing industries can help explain these numbers. The sector of private education and health services, for instance, has added 956,000 jobs since January 2025, and currently employs 76.5% women. As greater numbers of Americans age, live longer and require greater use of health care, this sector should continue to expand. The continued strength of this industry is good news for women as they look to the future.
While monthly employment data shows a snapshot of downward movement in July, wider trends show that the current job market has been fantastic for women.