Federal Reserve

Viewpoint: If Trump wants to lower interest rates, he must fire the entire Federal Reserve Board

ChainCatcher News: President Trump’s public criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Powell has intensified concerns about his attempts to fire the central bank leader. However, even if he takes this historically significant and legally controversial step, Trump may still be unable to steer monetary policy in the direction he desires.Several economists have stated that even firing Powell may not guarantee Trump the interest rate cuts he wants. Paul Ashworth, Chief North American Economist at Capital Economics, noted in a recent report: "Firing Powell is likely just the first step in undermining the independence of the Federal Reserve. If Trump is determined to lower interest rates, he would also have to fire the other six members of the Federal Reserve Board, which would trigger more severe market turmoil, leading to a decline in the dollar and a rise in the long end of the U.S. Treasury yield curve."Powell is both the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and the Chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which is responsible for setting interest rate policy. Ashworth pointed out that while FOMC members typically choose the Board Chairman appointed by the president to lead them, they can also defy Trump’s wishes and select someone else to head the rate-setting committee.In a social media post on Monday, Trump referred to the Federal Reserve Chairman as a "big loser," a post that shook financial markets. White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett stated last week that the president and his team are exploring the possibility of removing the Federal Reserve Chairman. However, on Tuesday, Trump backtracked, saying he would "definitely" not fire Powell.
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