Trump threatens to fire Fed chairman

特朗普威胁要解雇美联储主席

World Business Report

2026-04-16

26 分钟
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President Trump has threatened to fire US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell if he does not step aside next month, raising concerns over central bank independence and market uncertainty. Pakistan remains involved in diplomatic efforts over the US, Israel and Iran conflict, as questions grow over whether this could bring any economic benefit amid domestic pressure. And travellers across several European airports are facing long delays due to the EU’s new entry and exit system, with some missing flights after hours in queues. (Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speak during a tour of the Federal Reserve Board building, in Washington DC, July 24, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Kent Nishimura)
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  • President Trump versus the Fed.

  • It's not a debate about what should interest rates be right now.

  • It's just about keeping the politics out of the process because, again, we don't need to relearn this lesson.

  • It's World Business Report from the BBC World Service.

  • This is Andrew Peach on the way, a new threat from the White House to remove Jerome Powell if he does n't step aside

  • from the Fed completely next month.

  • Also today with Pakistan at the centre of efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

  • We 'll hear why you ca n't turn the lights on there for much of the day and why new EU checks

  • are causing long queues at airports.

  • First, though, President Trump threatening to fire the chairman of the US Federal Reserve,

  • Jerome Powell, if he does n't step aside completely in a month's time.

  • Mr Powell's term as chair expires on the 15th of May,

  • but he could stay in the role for longer until his successor, Kevin Walsh, is confirmed by the US Senate.

  • President Trump also ruled out dropping a criminal investigation into the U.S. Federal Reserve chair over renovations

  • to the central bank's Washington headquarters.

  • Claudia Raisam is currently serving as chief economist for New Century Advisors and firmly worked with the U.S. Fed.

  • So President Trump has repeatedly put pressure on Fed Chair Powell to lower interest rates.

  • This isn't personal.

  • This is about the interest rates, but that's not a role the president has to play.

  • OK, so Donald Trump has wanted interest rates to be lowered, certainly at a faster rate than the Fed has been doing.