US Economy Unexpectedly Sheds 92,000 Jobs in February as War and Tariff Uncertainty Mount

The U.S. economy unexpectedly shed 92,000 jobs in February, a stunning contraction that caught economists off guard and sent markets tumbling as investors confronted the possibility that the combined weight of the Iran war and ongoing tariff disputes is beginning to crack the labor market. Payrolls declined across nearly every sector, a breadth of weakness that suggests the job losses are not confined to a single industry but reflect a broader economic pullback driven by uncertainty. The report hands the Trump administration a serious economic headache at precisely the moment it is trying to project strength abroad, raising the uncomfortable question of whether the costs of confrontation with Iran are being paid not just in military expenditures but in American livelihoods.