Fed Chair Jerome Powell is continuing to ignore Donald Trump’s criticism of his job performance, saying he would not resign if the president asked him to.
In testimony before the Financial Services Committee Wednesday, Powell was asked by Chairwoman Maxine Waters “If you get a call from the president today or tomorrow and he said ‘I’m firing you. Pack up and it’s time to go.’ What would you do?”
His reply?
“Of course I would not do that … The law gives me a four-year term and I intend to serve that.”
It’s not the first time Powell has had to take a public stand against Trump’s criticisms. In January, speaking at the American Economic Association’s annual meeting, he also said he wouldn’t resign.
Powell has become a favorite target of Trump through late 2018 and 2019. The president has said he was “not even a little bit happy” with Powell’s performance. He objected to interest rate hikes last October, calling them “crazy” and saying the Fed was his “biggest threat“. He kept up the criticism until late December, when he reportedly realized he did not have the authority to fire Powell.
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