House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) on Friday gave former President Barack Obama credit for the latest jobs report and castigated President Donald Trump for his economic policies, despite the report showing strong jobs numbers and coming out nearly two months after Trump entered the White House.
The economy added 235,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate dropped to 4. 7 percent, according to numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Pelosi said in a statement that the strong numbers were a result of Obama's policies, not Trump's, and criticized the president for his economic agenda.
"February’s jobs numbers indicate the enduring power of President Obama’s economic leadership," Pelosi said. "The firm foundation for growth created under the Obama administration continues to deliver, but President Trump is taking dangerous steps that will hollow out our economy and weaken working families."
The House's top Democrat attacked Trump for not proposing a jobs bill yet.
"After 50 days in office, President Trump still has not put forward a single significant jobs bill," Pelosi said. "Instead, Republicans have made it their top priority to end affordable health care in America."
"Not only does the Republican Pay More For Less bill push millions off their health coverage, it will destroy millions of jobs and create chaos throughout the economy," she added. "Once again, the GOP is hurting working families in order to give a multi-billion dollar tax break to billionaires."
The statement ended by attacking the Republican Party for "destroying" the lives of Americans.
"Republicans should be creating jobs rebuilding America's infrastructure, not destroying lives dismantling Americans' health care," Pelosi said.
Pelosi was not the only Democrat to give Obama credit for the jobs numbers and not Trump.
Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile wrote on Twitter that it was Obama's policies that led to the job growth, adding, "Mr Trump, don't blow it."
Thanks @BarackObama! It started with you and your policies. Now, we have the 77th consecutive month of job growth. Mr Trump, don't blow it.
— Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) March 10, 2017
Former aide to President Bill Clinton and CNN political commentator Keith Boykin added similar sentiments on Twitter, writing that Obama inherited an economy of declining jobs, and gave Trump an economy that is gaining jobs.
President Obama inherited an economy losing 748,000 jobs/month in 2009. Trump inherited an economy gaining 237,000 jobs/month. #JobsReport pic.twitter.com/D84hANJiyZ
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) March 10, 2017
But CNN Political Director David Chalian said on Friday that the business community had very positive views of Trump, and gave him credit for the upward thrust of the job market.
"The business community could not be more enthusiastic right now about Donald Trump. That is great for him out of the gate," Chalian said, adding that jobs and the economy have been the high points of Trump's presidency so far.