Trump has been highly critical of Jerome Powell this year, pressuring him to cut rates. The Fed Chair has said he's awaiting further clarity on inflation.

The right to freedom of speech allows Trump to make demands of the Fed to his heart's content. But legally, he cannot compel the central bank to lower its benchmark interest rate. The Fed has the right to act independently, and its aim is to promote a healthy and stable economy by keeping inflation in check.

Former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh discusses the clamoring from President Donald Trump and his allies to cut interest rates and more on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’

WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump is once again putting public pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, calling for interest rate cuts amid signs of a cooling labor market. But while rate cuts have been projected for months, the Fed hasn’t moved since December of 2024, and Powell doesn’t seem ready to cave just yet.

President Donald Trump sent the U.S. stock market on a jagged round trip Wednesday after saying he had "talked about the concept of firing" the head of the Federal Reserve. Such a move could help Wall Street get the lower interest rates it loves,

A Fed policy rate that low is not typically a sign that the United States is the "hottest" country in the world for investment, as Trump has said. It is usually a crisis response to an economy in serious trouble.

The independence of central banks, which allows policymakers to operate free from political meddling, is considered sacrosanct by investors and economists.

US president’s offensive against Jay Powell has prompted swings in the dollar and lifted long-term inflation expectations