Chicago – May 28, 2025
UN Warns Millions of Jobs at Risk Due to Trump’s Trade War
The United Nations is warning that millions of jobs around the world could disappear this year due to the economic slowdown caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war.
In a report released Wednesday, the International Labour Organization (ILO), a UN agency focused on workers’ rights, said that only 53 million new jobs are expected to be created globally in 2025 — 7 million fewer than previously forecast. The ILO pointed to rising trade tensions and a weaker global economy as key reasons for the downgrade.
The warning comes after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its global growth forecast for this year to 2.8%, down from 3.2%. The IMF cited uncertainty caused by new U.S. tariffs on imports and other unpredictable trade policies introduced since Trump returned to office in January.
The ILO report highlights how deeply connected global jobs are to U.S. consumer spending. It estimates that nearly 84 million jobs across 71 countries are directly or indirectly tied to demand from American shoppers. Of those, 56 million are in the Asia-Pacific region, while another 13 million are in Canada and Mexico — all at risk as trade tensions rise.
Since January, President Trump has increased tariffs on imports of key goods like steel and cars and threatened more to come. He has set July 9 as a deadline for other countries to reach trade agreements with the U.S., warning that otherwise, he will impose steep “reciprocal tariffs.”
The ILO says the uncertainty caused by these policies is making businesses more hesitant to invest or hire new workers. “Employers may be more cautious,” the agency warned, as global markets face increasing pressure from trade disruptions and political instability.
