During a public speech in Iowa on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump renewed his critical stance towards the Federal Reserve and its current chair, Jerome Powell, focusing on the topic of monetary policy and interest rate management. Trump characterized Powell's actions as slow and lacking in decisiveness, particularly concerning the timing and level of interest rate adjustments.
Specifically, Trump stated, "We call him too late. He's too late," emphasizing his view that Powell has not responded swiftly enough to economic challenges. He further accused Powell of intentionally maintaining borrowing costs at elevated levels, asserting that Powell "wants to keep rates as high as possible." Despite such policies, Trump highlighted that his administration succeeded in reducing rates during their tenure.
Looking ahead, with Powell slated to step down as Federal Reserve Chair in May, Trump conveyed optimism about the future leadership. He mentioned that the forthcoming Fed chair would be "great" and indicated that the official nomination would be made "pretty soon." Reflecting on the impact of his forthcoming appointment, Trump predicted that federal interest rates will "come down a lot" once the new chair assumes office.
These remarks arrive just prior to the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting scheduled for Wednesday. Market expectations, as measured by the CME Group's FedWatch tool, suggest a 97.2% probability that interest rates will remain steady during this session.
Separately, in the prior week, Trump revealed that he has selected his candidate for the next Federal Reserve Chair, although he has not publicly identified the individual. According to Kalshi prediction markets, Rick Rieder, BlackRock Inc.'s Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income, currently leads the odds with a 51% chance of appointment. Former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh stands second with a 27% chance, while Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, holds a 7% probability.
In related market activity, the iShares US Treasury Bond ETF (BATS:GOVT), which tracks the performance of U.S. Treasury bonds, experienced a slight decline of 0.11% on Wednesday, closing at $23.04. According to Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings, the fund exhibits an unfavorable price trend across short, medium, and long-term horizons.
This discourse surrounding leadership change at the Federal Reserve reflects ongoing concerns regarding monetary policy direction and its implications for borrowing costs, financial markets, and broader economic conditions.