Did Trump raise the US minimum wage to $25 an hour? What Mississippi needs to know

AI-assisted summary
• A fake news video circulating online falsely claims President Trump raised the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour.
• While 21 states increased their minimum wages on January 1, 2025, none reached $25 per hour.
• Mississippi's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal rate, and several proposed bills to raise it failed in the 2025 legislative session.

A video circulating online crafted to look like a news report claims President Donald Trump has raised the federal minimum wage nationwide to $25 per hour, effective April 15.

If true, it would signal huge changes to the U.S. economy. But don't believe everything you see on the internet. This one is fake news.

Congress has not approved an increase to the federal minimum wage for Trump to sign into law. A few bills related to minimum wage, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's No Tax on Tips Act, were introduced but haven't yet passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The White House does not list an executive order or any other action from the president regarding the federal issue as of April 15.

On Jan. 1, the minimum wage increased in 21 states across the nation, though none is at $25 per hour. Some states plan to increase pay over the next few years.

Here's what we know about the video and the most current information on minimum wage in Mississippi and across the U.S.

What does the fake news video about Trump raising the minimum wage claim?

The video is designed to make people think it's a breaking news story, and there are different versions online. Some use a female voice that sounds like a newscast while others use a male voice that lacks inflection and sounds AI-generated. The images change, depending on who posted it, and the effective date changes. Some say April 8 while others say April 15.

The general information, however, stays the same. It claims the president signed a "historic" law that will boost the minimum wage to $25. The voice claims that experts say the move could reduce poverty rates and lists industries that will benefit from a sudden increase in take-home pay. It says the move will "reshape the U.S. labor market," with some business leaders warning there will be layoffs.

The audio plays over graphics tied to previous and current economic news, images of people working and protesting, and clips of the president.

But it does not cite any experts, lawmakers or laws by name, other than Trump. Some versions end with a pitch to a co-host or guest asking for their take, adding to the authentic feel.

What is the minimum wage in Mississippi?

Mississippi's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for covered nonexempt workers.

When was the last minimum wage increase in Mississippi?

The last minimum wage raise in the United States was in 2009. Changes took place in a rollout over two years.

They were:

• July 24, 2009: $7.25
• July 24, 2008: $6.55
• July 24, 2007: $5.85

Before that, the last change was an increase to $5.15 in 1997

Will Mississippi raise the minimum wage?

There are currently no plans to raise the minimum wage in Mississippi.

Seven bills to raise the state minimum wage to $8.50, $10 or $15 per hour died in committee during the 2025 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature. (House Bill 266, HB 364, HB 740, HB 898, HB 1550, Senate Bill 2440 and SB 2441)

The Magnolia State is among many without their own rate. Instead, that's set by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

The federal rate is $2.13 per hour for employees who get tips. But if your tips don't bring your total pay to $7.25 per hour, the employer is supposed to pay the difference.

Which states raised the minimum wage in 2025?

These 21 states raised the minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2025:

• Alaska: $11.73 to $11.91.
• Arizona: $14.35 to $14.70.
• California: $16 to $16.50.
• Colorado: $14.42 to $14.81.
• Connecticut: $15.69 to $16.35.
• Delaware: $13.25 to $15.
• Illinois: $14 to $15.
• Maine: $14.15 to $14.65.
• Michigan: $10.33 to $10.56.
• Minnesota: large and small employers to $11.13.
• Missouri: $12.30 to $13.75.
• Montana: $10.30 to $10.55.
• Nebraska: $12 to $13.50.
• New Jersey: $15.13 to $15.49.
• New York (upstate): $15 to $15.50.
• New York: $16 to $16.50.
• Ohio: $10.45 to $10.70.
• Rhode Island: $14 to $15.
• South Dakota: $11.20 to $11.50.
• Vermont: $13.67 to $14.01.
• Virginia: $12 to $12.41.
• Washington: $16.28 to $16.66.

What state has the highest minimum wage?

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the District of Columbia has the highest minimum wage in the nation at $17.50.

But that will change within a few years. Hawaii reportedly plans to increase from $14 hourly to $16 on Jan. 1, 2026. The state is set to add another $2 in 2028, bringing it to $18.

Currently, the minimum wage in Washington state is $16.66. In California and part of New York, it's $16.50 per hour.

Some other states have planned raises in the coming years, but none exceed Hawaii's goal.

What state has the lowest minimum wage?

No one state has the lowest minimum wage, and many states default to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets the national baseline.

States that have a $7.25 minimum wage include:

• Alabama.
• Georgia.
• Idaho.
• Indiana.
• Iowa.
• Kansas.
• Kentucky.
• Louisiana.
• Mississippi.
• New Hampshire.
• North Carolina.
• North Dakota.
• Oklahoma.
• Pennsylvania.
• South Carolina.
• Tennessee.
• Texas.
• Utah.
• Wisconsin.
• Wyoming.

What's the living wage in Mississippi?

The living wage is what a person in a household would have to earn to support themselves or their family and stay self-sufficient if working full time for 2,080 hours per year.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's living wage calculator determined that the poverty wage would be $7.24 for an adult in Mississippi with no kids. It's one cent below the federal minimum.

An adult with no kids would need to make $19.89 per hour to be self-sufficient. If they had three children, that rises to $47.50 per hour.

Two adults in a household with one working would need $27.52 per hour to live without assistance. The poverty wage would be $9.83. They'd need a living wage of $39.72 if they had three kids or $17.59 for the poverty wage.

In a four-person family with two children and two working parents, the living wage is $21.37 per hour, and the poverty wage is $7.50.

How many people in Mississippi live in poverty?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 18% of Mississippi residents live in poverty.

The median household income in the state is $54,915, and average income per person is $30,529.

Contributing: Reporting from USA TODAY and Jordan Green with the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.