Trump administration is asking states to hold off on releasing unemployment figures as economy plummets

On Thursday, The New York Times reported that Trump administration officials are asking states to hold off on releasing unemployment-claim numbers to the public.

The request is the latest sign that the administration is fearful of the economic outlook, as businesses temporarily shut down over coronavirus and the stock market routinely sees four-digit losses on a daily basis.

President Donald Trump himself has suggested a recession is on the horizon. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has warned GOP senators that in the worst-case scenario, unemployment could spike as high as 20 percent — a figure not seen since the Great Depression.