Trump blasts Fed chair Powell and looks forward to his 'termination'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post

April 17, 2025 at 8:33 a.m. EDT


President Donald Trump blasted the Federal Reserve for not lowering interest rates and said the central bank chair’s “termination cannot come fast enough,” ratcheting up the White House’s public pressure on the central bank.

The message, posted on Truth Social early Thursday, came one day after Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell warned that the administration’s trade war was “highly likely” to spur a temporary rise in inflation, with the potential for longer-lasting effects. Markets tanked on Powell’s remarks.

“Jerome Powell of the Fed, who is always TOO LATE AND WRONG, yesterday issued a report which was another, and typical, complete ‘mess!’” Trump wrote. Referring to interest rates, he added, “He should certainly lower them now. Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!”

The Fed closely guards its independence from politics so it can make decisions with the long-term health of the economy in mind. Trump has repeatedly called for the Fed to lower rates and signaled that he does not want Powell to continue as Fed chair. During his first term, Trump’s lawyers concluded that the president could not fire the Fed chief without cause, although a federal court recently gave Trump a partial win in his efforts to remove the leaders of two other independent agencies.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/04/17/trump-powell-rate-tariffs/

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No paywall (gift)

Since everything else he has done was illegal - including firing "independent" members of various Boards, I am surprised he hasn't touched the guy who he appointed back during his first term. Maybe because Powell stood up to him very early on and did so in a way that apparently chilled him.

[spooky3]

1. TSF knows the law is crystal clear and that Powell

Will fight back legally.

It’ll never happen but I’d love to hear Powell reply, “Funny how many people would feel the same way about your “termination.””

[BumRushDaShow]

4. He didn't care about the "crystal clear" law when firing the Investigator Generals

or various Board Members who are in termed positions.

It's one of 2 things - either Powell had a way of cutting through his bullshit -OR- the REAL oligarch PTB told him "don't touch or else".

[spooky3]

6. Powell is in a uniquely powerful and visible position.

And I didn’t hear the board members say, prior to their dismissal, that they would not leave if Trump fired them or that they’d sue.

On edit: adding to his power—he likely has strong support from many of the business titans whose opinions and money TSF cares about.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. In the case of Powell

he wanted to get rid of him back during the first term when he was whining about the interest rate increases and Powell finally relented and held them steady for a bit. Of course 45's COVID economic collapse meant that they had to scramble to take the rates back down to near zero.



Bernanke had headed up the Fed during the 2008 economic collapse and took the rates down to near zero until near the end of Obama's 2nd term when they started going back up again with Yellen, and that continued with Powell in 45's term.

Powell is also a Republican, so that also factors in somewhere.

[speak easy]

2. Same 'ol, same 'ol.

If you don’t kiss the ring you’re out. Whatta way to calm the markets. Fail.

[magicarpet]

3. Will Fed Chair Powell be shipped off to,...

..... an El Salvadoran prison in the middle of the night - never to be seen or heard from again ?

[Rebl2]

7. Don't

Even suggest that!

[Efilroft Sul]

5. Trump's use of language is a dog-whistle to his hammer-wielding goons.

Trump doesn't want to just fire Powell; he wants him dead. And somewhere out in the heartland, a red hat is watching the president say this inflammatory sound bite on Fox News and is muttering to himself, "By your command, Mr. President."

[spooky3]

8. Agree. And, if anyone can obtain and post this article, it looks interesting:

(Published today)

https://news.bgov.com/banking-law/powell-shows-why-fed-independence-matters-now-jonathan-levin-1

“Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is pushing back against President Donald Trump after deftly avoiding confrontation for months. In a question and answer session Wednesday, Powell portrayed chaotically implemented tariffs as plainly bad for the economy; slammed the approach taken by the Department of Government Efficiency; and issued a legal defense for why he thinks he can withstand any attempt by Trump to fire him. At a time of rising concern about Fed independence, he did us all a favor by showing he’s laser-focused on the central bank’s core goals and will fight to be able to keep it that way.

Predictably, ...”

The rest is behind a paywall.

[Grins]

9. One of "the best people" Trump nominated.

Like so many others…

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. Fucking asshole wants stagflation

Something we haven't seen since the seventies.

The more Trump open his mouth the more he proves he's an idiot.

[PerceptionManagement]

12. That's funny, I also look forward to Orange Failure's termination on many levels.

Once he shuffles his mortal coil, we can burn the bloated suety corpse for electricity, and it will be the only social good he's ever performed. We can also bury his remains next to his ex-wife what's-her-name on his golf course so no one can piss on his grave.
It's a logical plan of action.