Trump hails May jobs surge, floats AI profit-sharing for Americans
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
US President Donald Trump on 6 June celebrated stronger-than-expected employment figures, renewed pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, and floated a potentially landmark idea: allowing ordinary Americans to share directly in the financial gains of leading artificial intelligence companies. The remarks were made aboard Air Force One and covered a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues.
Jobs Numbers Draw Presidential Praise
Trump was emphatic about the latest labour market data, calling the results far superior to forecasts. 'So we had incredible job numbers today. You saw that,' he told reporters. 'The job numbers just came out, and they were fantastic, far better than even anticipated.'
He pushed back against the conventional view that robust economic growth automatically stokes inflation. 'And you don't have to have inflation by having growth, and we have great growth,' he said, adding that he hoped financial markets would respond positively to strong data rather than treating it as a risk signal.
Rate Cut Pressure and the Fed
Asked whether the Federal Reserve should lower borrowing costs, Trump deferred formally to Kevin Warsh, describing him as 'a very talented guy,' while making his own preference unmistakable. 'I'd like to see lower interest rates,' he said, noting that each percentage-point shift carries a significant impact on government finances. The Fed has held rates steady amid ongoing uncertainty over inflation and growth trajectories, and Trump's public lobbying adds fresh political pressure on the institution.
AI Profit-Sharing: A New White House Idea
Perhaps the most striking element of Trump's remarks was his suggestion that the administration is exploring ways for the American public to benefit financially from the rapid growth of the AI industry. 'There's something very interesting about it where it almost becomes a partnership with the American public,' he said.
Trump confirmed he had spoken with major AI executives and said a White House meeting with industry leaders was likely the following week. 'All the big ones — they're all coming to the White House probably next week,' he said. No specific mechanism for public profit-sharing was detailed, and the idea appeared to be at an exploratory stage. Trump described AI as 'probably the biggest industry, maybe, that we've ever seen.'
National Security: Iran, Taiwan, Ukraine
On Iran, Trump expressed confidence that Washington was making progress in preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. 'They're not going to have a nuclear weapon, and they're in no position to have a nuclear weapon,' he said, adding that oil supplies through international shipping routes remained robust despite regional tensions.
Regarding Taiwan, Trump said his administration was reviewing a proposed arms package and confirmed he remained open to speaking with Taiwan's president. On Ukraine, he welcomed the prospect of direct engagement between Moscow and Kyiv, saying the conflict 'is a war that should have never happened' and suggesting a resolution could be drawing closer.
Intelligence Leadership Under Review
Trump also said he was interviewing five candidates to permanently lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, while Bill Pulte serves in an interim capacity. He praised Pulte as 'very talented' and said he would not object to staffing reductions at the office. This comes as the intelligence community has faced significant restructuring under the current administration.
With strong labour data now in hand, attention shifts to how the Fed interprets the figures ahead of its next policy meeting — and whether Trump's AI profit-sharing idea moves from rhetoric to a concrete proposal.