New figures cited by several analysts from US Treasury data show real wages rising 1.4% from a year earlier seven months into President Donald Trump’s second term, giving the administration the second-fastest start-of-term increase on record. Trump’s first term retains the top spot with a 1.5% gain over the comparable period. The Treasury numbers indicate that real hourly earnings for blue-collar workers have climbed an even stronger 1.7% since January, outpacing performances at the same stage of recent presidencies. Real pay for the cohort fell 1.7% under Joe Biden, 0.3% under Barack Obama and 0.6% during George W. Bush’s opening months. Economists view real wage growth as a key measure of living-standard improvements because it adjusts pay for inflation. A sustained pickup in earnings could bolster consumer spending, which accounts for roughly two-thirds of US economic output, though wage gains can also add to inflationary pressures if productivity does not keep pace.