Reality Check: Trump's Claims Of Advances Made For Women In Workplace
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- On Thursday, President Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara, will bring the "Women For Trump" campaign to Minnesota. She will highlight advances the president says he's made possible for women in the workplace.
It's certainly a first-term highlight for Trump, so it was not surprising daughter Ivanka made working women a focus of her at the White House Republican convention speech on Aug. 25.
"Four years ago in Cleveland, I said President Trump would deliver for working women. Last year, over 70% of all new jobs were secured by women," she said.
But are the claims true?
Those numbers are not wrong. In 2019, seven out of 10 new jobs went to women. For the second time in history, women outnumbered men in the workforce. And last year's unemployment rate for women -- 3.6% -- was the lowest since 1953.
Those are impressive numbers, but they are from last year, before the pandemic. The status of working women now is significantly worse. Just this year, 40 million people were laid off or lost jobs. More women are losing jobs than men in restaurants, health care, and child care.
Today in Minnesota, 54% of unemployment claims are from women, compared to 46% from men. One year ago, the state unemployment rate for women was 2.6%. In July 2020, it was up to 6.9%.
The Minnesota Trump campaign says the president is "building back the economy" for women, and the millions of jobs added back as the economy recovers is "shattering expectations."