Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council of the United States, departs after speaking to reporters outside the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2026. US job growth surged past expectations in May with the unemployment rate remaining steady, as the labor market in the world's largest economy showed signs of firming after months of turbulence. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 172,000 in May, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3 percent, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Friday. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)