The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, Sept. 5, edition that President Donald Trump threatened to halt United States trade unless the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. A New York Times dispatch to The Globe reports that Mr. Trump's demand could harm American families and businesses. Mr. Trump issued his threat on a day that began positively for the White House, as hiring figures showed an addition of 162,000 jobs in August, indicating a resilient labour market despite challenges such as the trade war and tensions with Iran. On social media, Mr. Trump celebrated the development and demanded the Fed lower borrowing costs to "the LOWEST RATE of any country in the World." The Fed has maintained steady rates since December while assessing if recent economic turbulence is a short-term issue or a longer-term inflation driver. Policy-makers are now mulling a rate hike this month, as they have struggled for over five years to reach the Fed's 2-per-cent inflation target. But Mr. Trump insisted Friday that the U.S. economy was "STRONG" and could afford to lower borrowing costs. Such a move could actually worsen inflation. But absent a cut, Mr. Trump signalled that he could interrupt global trade.