Black Unemployment Stalls at 6.6% Despite Trump’s Optimism – Data Shows Widening Racial Gap

Black unemployment remains elevated amid political spin

Black unemployment remains stubbornly high, hovering around ↓ 6.6% despite President Trump’s claims of record lows. The president recently asserted that “African American unemployment is now doing better than it’s ever done,” a statement unsupported by labor data.

Official Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show the rate crossed 8% last fall and has settled near the current level. Across the nation, Black workers consistently face higher joblessness than white peers, a gap that widened to ↓ 5.6 pp in Q3 2025.

Urban hotspots reveal stark disparities

New York City leads the nation with a Black unemployment rate of roughly 8.8%, the highest among major metros, according to the state comptroller’s data. Only white workers recorded any employment gains over the past year, a trend echoed by the New York City Economic Development Corp., which noted unemployment above 7% for Hispanic and BIPOC groups in Q1 2026.

“The labor market is still feeling the aftershocks of anti‑DEI policies,” says Valerie Wilson of the Economic Policy Institute.

Los Angeles, Chicago and other hubs show similar patterns, though the magnitude varies; Los Angeles peaked at 9.6% for Black workers in 2025. Meanwhile, cities such as Atlanta and Dallas report comparatively lower rates, despite recent growth in Black populations.

The downturn coincides with federal and corporate rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, compounded by the 2025 federal layoffs that disproportionately hit Black‑dominant public‑sector roles. Young Black job seekers are especially vulnerable, with youth unemployment for this cohort remaining above the overall youth rate, which fell 1.3 points in 2025.

Analysts point to the erosion of traditional blue‑collar sectors—manufacturing, construction, food service—as a key driver of the sustained gap. For a deeper look at how the pandemic reshaped labor dynamics, see our earlier coverage.

As Reuters and Bloomberg continue to track the evolving figures, the data suggests that without renewed DEI investment, Black unemployment may linger above national averages for the foreseeable future.