Trump Touts $500 Blue-Collar Pay Rise and Shift to Private Jobs

President Donald Trump said the average wage for blue-collar workers has risen by about $500 since he took office in January, describing the pace as the fastest in six decades. Speaking on Tuesday, he argued the pay gains signal a “resurgence of the blue-collar worker.” Trump also cited a string of manufacturing figures, asserting that domestic auto production has climbed by 18,000 vehicles a month, weekly steel output has grown by 100,000 tons, and daily oil production has expanded by 300,000 barrels. Those gains, he said, reflect companies’ renewed willingness to build and expand operations in the United States. On employment, the president claimed the economy has generated more than 500,000 private-sector jobs while the federal workforce has been trimmed by 84,000 positions since January. Trump framed the shift from public to private hiring as critical to sustaining economic momentum.