Rumours are swirling on-line that Donald Trump has signed an govt order elevating the federal minimal wage to $25 an hour. The declare exploded on social media in early April 2025, particularly on TikTok and Fb, the place movies mimicking information stories confirmed Trump signing paperwork within the Oval Workplace, spliced with inventory footage and a voice-over claiming, “Trump accredited the most important minimal wage improve in U.S. historical past. As of the eighth of April, 2025, no American employee might be allowed to earn lower than $25 per hour.”
Sounds dramatic, proper? Nevertheless it’s fully false.
ALSO READ| Donald Trump freezes $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard College over ‘campus activism’
Whereas Trump did signal 4 govt orders on April 8, 2025, none of them had something to do with minimal wage. In reality, on March 14, 2025, he signed an order titled Extra Rescissions of Dangerous Government Orders and Actions,’ which rolled again a number of Biden-era insurance policies—together with the rule that set a $15 minimal wage for federal contractors.
That rollback had been justified to assist employee well-being by enhancing “well being, morale, and energy,” and lowering “absenteeism and turnover.”
Viral movies falsely declare Trump raised minimal wage to $25
The viral movies weren’t simply deceptive—they have been produced in a format meant to seem like actual information, utilizing genuine footage of Trump and professionally voiced narration. And these weren’t one-offs. The identical accounts shared equally bogus clips claiming Trump signed an govt order for a 32-hour work week, which additionally isn’t true.
What’s extra, statements from Trump’s inside circle verify the administration has no actual intention of elevating the federal minimal wage, which has remained at $7.25 since 2009. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent flatly mentioned throughout his affirmation listening to in January 2025 that he doesn’t assist a rise.
ALSO READ| JD Vance drops Ohio State’s faculty soccer championship trophy at White Home—Trump’s face says all of it| Video
JD Vance avoids touch upon minimal wage debate
Vice President JD Vance commented vaguely throughout a speech in March, saying, “Now, one of many debates you hear on the minimal wage, as an illustration, is that will increase within the minimal wage pressure companies to automate… I’m not going to touch upon that right here.”
On April 8, progressive lawmakers Bernie Sanders and Bobby Scott launched a invoice to lift the wage to $17 regularly. However with a Republican-controlled Senate, its chances are high slim.
The underside line there is no such thing as a $25 federal minimal wage order. The declare is a well-crafted hoax.
