Finance News

Story: Trump’s Fed Calls Put Kevin Warsh’s Independence on the Line

By Sydney TheCMO

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Warsh's Silence Unnerves the Bond Market. Loretta Mester, former head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, questioned whether Warsh's…

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Nixon, Burns, and the Uncomfortable Historical Comparison. The Trump-Warsh calls have drawn comparisons to Nixon's relationship with Fed Chair Arthur Burns…

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Jackson Hole as the Next Big Test. Warsh is expected to speak at the Jackson Hole symposium.

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President Trump has been calling Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh since May. The conversations, per reports, focus on Iran's economic fallout and artificial intelligence.

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That last part matters a lot right now. The bond market is already rattled, and Warsh's communication style has left traders guessing about where monetary policy actually heads…

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The three dissenting members wanted a rate hike. They said so publicly, in separate statements, after the meeting.

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Loretta Mester, former head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, questioned whether Warsh's low-key style can actually hold market confidence together over time.

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It's a tricky spot. Warsh's reserved approach contrasts sharply with the three dissenters, who explained their reasoning openly and in detail.

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And then there's the White House calling.

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Warsh did testify before Congress in July, which gave some observers a look at his thinking. But that came before the public knew how divided the FOMC actually was.

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More context: Trump Meme Coins $3.8 Billion Wipeout Puts Senators on SECs Doorstep

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Trump's conversations with Warsh haven't touched interest rates, by all accounts. But the comparison keeps coming up anyway, and probably for good reason.

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That's the uncomfortable part. You can say the calls are about geopolitics and technology. But if bond traders aren't sure they believe that, the yield curve will tell you fast.

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Warsh is expected to speak at the Jackson Hole symposium. It's basically the most-watched annual event in central banking — the place where Fed chairs have historically used…

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So Warsh's appearance there carries real weight. If he comes out and makes a clear, direct case for where he sees policy heading and why the FOMC's divided vote doesn't mean what…

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