Warren's 'Rising Unemployment' Is 4.2%, Down From 4.4% a Year Ago
Warren posted on Bluesky: "More disappointing results from Donald Trump's economy: rising unemployment and wages that can't keep up with skyrocketing costs."
Wages: she is right. Average hourly pay rose 3.0% over the 12 months to September while prices rose 3.7%, so real wages fell 0.7%. Unemployment: 'rising' rests on a one-month tick. The rate went from 4.1% in August to 4.2% in September, which the St. Louis Fed says is about its 12-month average. The unrounded rate moved from 4.141% to 4.175%. EPI's chart of the rate has September 2025 at 4.4%. BLS says the rate has stayed between 4.1% and 4.3% since March. 'Skyrocketing costs' is mostly gasoline. CPI hit 3.7% on an annual basis, and gasoline jumped 9.1% in September alone. Core inflation was 2.6% year over year, and energy was up 20.4%. Against prices other than food and energy, the average 3.0% raise is still ahead. The post's line that Trump 'lines his own pockets' is not an economic claim. We did not check it here.
- Warren Bluesky post (Senate office), Oct. 21, 2026bsky.app
- BLS Employment Situation Summary, September 2026bls.gov
- St. Louis Fed Flash Report: Unemployment Rises Slightly, Job Growth Slows in Septemberstlouisfed.org
- EPI #JobsDay analysis: unemploymentepi.org
- CPI September 2026: Prices Up 3.7%, Real Wages Down 0.7%wagebyhour.com
- KPMG: Energy adds fuel to a well-kindled fire (September 2026 CPI)kpmg.com
Back the Scalp
No party money. No billionaire. No ad network deciding what gets cut. Just her record, stamped and sourced every morning, paid for by the people who read it.
Every stamp here carries its receipts, and digging them up takes real work. If you want more of them, back it.— Matthew Coley
See an error? Send a correction. We fix with receipts too.