Gov. Gavin Newsom: “Since 1989, in the U.S. there’s been 52 million jobs created. 50 of the 52 million were created under Democratic administrations. 1.9 million jobs created during Republican administrations. You look at the last three Republican presidents, they have one thing in common — recession.”

The claim by Gov. Gavin Newsom can be broken down into three main components: 1) Since 1989, 52 million jobs were created in the U.S.; 2) Approximately 50 million of those jobs were created under Democratic administrations, while about 1.9 million were created under Republican administrations; and 3) The last three Republican presidents have all faced recessions during their terms.

Regarding job creation, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and analyses by economic research organizations confirm that job growth has been stronger during Democratic presidencies since the late 1980s. For example, studies show that from 1989 onward, Democratic presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden oversaw substantial net job gains, while Republican presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump had comparatively lower net job creation or losses during recessions (notably early 1990s, early 2000s, and the COVID-19 recession).

The approximate figures cited by Newsom align with these trends though exact numbers vary slightly depending on data sources and timeframes used. The claim that about 50 million jobs were created under Democrats versus roughly 1.9 million under Republicans is consistent with analyses published by reputable fact-checkers and economic data aggregators.

On recessions, it is accurate that the last three Republican presidents, George H.W. Bush (early 1990s recession), George W. Bush (early 2000s recession and Great Recession onset), and Donald Trump (COVID-19 recession), each experienced at least one recession during their terms. This is a factual statement supported by National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) dating of recessions.

However, attributing recessions solely to party leadership oversimplifies complex economic dynamics influenced by global events, monetary policy, and other factors beyond presidential control. Additionally, job creation is influenced by many variables including congressional control, global economic conditions, and technological changes.

Overall, Newsom’s statement is largely accurate in its core factual assertions but lacks nuance regarding causality and broader economic context.