US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent has used Labour Day to highlight what he described as the Trump administration’s efforts to improve wages, create jobs and reduce the tax burden on American working families.
In a social media post marking Labour Day, Bessent said that the administration under President Donald Trump was pursuing policies intended to put working families first, while pointing to wage growth, private-sector job creation and tax relief as evidence of the administration’s approach. “This Labor Day, we celebrate the American worker and the policies that are putting their families first,” Bessent said.
The Treasury Secretary said that real wages were growing faster than inflation under the Trump administration, meaning workers were seeing increases in their earnings after accounting for rising prices. He also highlighted what he described as faster wage growth among lower-income workers compared with higher earners. According to Bessent, the trend represented an improvement in the economic position of workers at the lower end of the income scale.
Bessent also pointed to employment figures, saying more than 900,000 private-sector jobs had been created under the administration. The Treasury Secretary linked the administration’s economic message to tax policy, saying working families had received $82 billion in tax relief through the Working Families Tax Cuts.
The tax cuts have been presented by the Trump administration as a measure intended to allow American households to retain more of their earnings and support economic activity. Bessent used his Labor Day message to defend the policy against criticism from Democrats and other opponents of the administration’s tax agenda.
He argued that efforts to repeal the tax cuts would ultimately leave American workers with less disposable income. “The radical left wants to repeal these tax cuts,” Bessent said, adding, “America’s workers deserve to keep more of what they earn, not pay more in taxes.”
His comments place tax policy at the centre of the administration’s broader economic message as it seeks to demonstrate that its policies are delivering tangible benefits to workers. Labor Day, observed annually in the United States on the first Monday of September, traditionally provides an opportunity to recognise the contributions of American workers and reflect on employment and economic conditions.
Bessent’s message used the occasion to emphasise the administration’s economic priorities, particularly wage growth, employment and tax relief. The claims also form part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to portray its economic policies as focused on households rather than solely on broader economic indicators.
By highlighting real wages rather than nominal pay increases, Bessent sought to emphasise workers’ purchasing power in an environment where inflation remains an important consideration for American households. His reference to faster wage growth among low-income workers also reflects an attempt to underscore the distributional impact of the administration’s economic policies.
The Treasury Secretary did not provide additional details in his post about the figures he cited or the specific sectors responsible for the reported private-sector job gains. Nevertheless, the message reflects the administration’s broader argument that its economic programme is improving conditions for workers through a combination of employment growth, wage gains and tax reductions.
The focus on American workers also comes as economic issues remain central to political debate in the United States, with disagreements over taxation, government spending and the distribution of economic gains continuing between Republicans and Democrats.
Vance Says Trump Administration Investing In Workers
US Vice President JD Vance also used Labour Day to highlight the administration’s focus on American workers, reinforcing the message delivered by Bessent.
In a brief social media post, Vance said the Trump administration was directing its efforts towards workers and marked the holiday by extending his greetings to Americans. “The Trump Administration is investing in American workers,” Vance wrote. “Happy Labor Day!” he added.
Vance’s message echoed the administration’s broader emphasis on workers and employment, although it did not provide specific figures or details about the policies being referenced.
Vance also reposted A White House social media post marking Labour Day.
“This Labor Day, we honor the grit, skill, & spirit of the American worker, the backbone of our nation & the force behind our prosperity. American workers deserve a government that fights for them – the Trump Admin is delivering. To workers across America, thank you.”
White House
Together, the messages from Bessent and Vance presented Labor Day as an opportunity for the Trump administration to promote its economic agenda and its stated commitment to American workers. While Bessent focused on wage growth, employment and tax relief, Vance offered a broader endorsement of the administration’s approach.
The two posts come as the administration continues to defend its economic policies and argue that American workers should be among the primary beneficiaries of its programme.
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