Trump says he still might fire Powell as Fed chair pick looms

President Donald Trump teased that he has a preferred candidate to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, but is in no hurry to make an announcement — while also musing that he might fire the central bank’s current leader, Jerome Powell.

“I do, still do — hasn’t changed,” Trump said at a press conference Monday, when asked if he has a favorite candidate. “I’ll announce him at the right time. There’s plenty of time.”

Trump added the Powell should resign and that he’d “love to fire him.”

“Maybe I still might,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Trump did not specify who is his leading chair candidate and said an announcement would be made in “January sometime.” 

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett has been seen as the frontrunner, though Trump has also expressed interest in former Fed governor Kevin Warsh. Other finalists in the process have included current Fed governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman and BlackRock’s Rick Rieder. 

Earlier: Bessent Sees Room for a Future Revamp of the Fed’s 2% Target

Trump has made numerous cryptic — and sometimes contradictory — remarks about his decision-making process regarding the new central bank chief. The president earlier in December said he’d narrowed ...