Maggie Haberman, the White House correspondent for the New York Times, indicated that President Trump was “careful about overstepping his bounds with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, suggesting that he may have a strong incentive to keep Powell from being ousted within the White House.
Haberman mentioned that the president feels there shouldn’t be a “zone of independence” for individuals like Powell, whom he appointed during his initial term in office.
“However, there is currently an ongoing Supreme Court case regarding the limits of independent agencies and presidential powers, and the White House is cognizant of this,” she stated while appearing on CNN’s “arena” on Thursday.
“Trump may be personally displeased, and he conveyed this clearly in the Oval Office, but I believe this will be an area where he will tread lightly,” she continued.
Haberman further informed Anchor Casey Hunt, “I don’t want to imply that nothing could occur, given Trump’s unpredictability so far, but I don’t anticipate it happening in the near future.”
This week, the president criticized Powell and condemned him on Thursday for not lowering interest rates.
Kevin Hassett, the chairman of the White House National Economic Council and Trump’s leading economic advisor, told reporters on Friday that the White House was exploring options to remove Powell, whom he asserts cannot be dismissed.
“Now, Cassie, those who have spoken to President Trump about this and are consulting with him indicate that he’s not actively trying to oust Jerome Powell.
A seasoned political journalist remarked that the White House “is experiencing challenges and recognizes the last two weeks since the most recent tariffs were implemented” and “is well aware.”
“Thus, Trump was irritated and intended to voice this publicly, but there is a concerted effort to prevent him from doing so,” she added.
