Trump Clearly States for the First Time: Will Not Dismiss Fed Chair Powell Early

In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" aired on Sunday, U.S. President Trump gave his clearest denial yet when asked if he would fire Powell before 2026: "No, no, no. Why would I do that? I can wait, after all, it won't be long before I can replace him." However, he also criticized Powell as someone who is completely inflexible and once again called for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. Trump said in the interview: "He should cut rates, and sooner or later he will. But Powell is not a fan of mine, he doesn't like me because I think he's a complete fool." This interview marks the first time Trump has so clearly stated his intention to keep Powell, which may help alleviate market concerns about the disruption to the global trade system caused by Trump's large-scale tariff policies. (Jin10)