Trumps final round of interviews with Fed chair candidates set to start this week as markets bet on Kevin Hassett: reports
President Trump is slated to start his final round of interviews this week for a new Federal Reserve chairman to replace Jerome Powell, with top White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett viewed as the frontrunner, according to reports.Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were set to conduct the first of the interviews on Wednesday, starting with former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, two sources told CNBC.“We’re going to be looking at a couple different people, but I have a pretty good idea of who I want,” the president told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday.Along with Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, the top candidates for Fed chair reportedly include Fed Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, along with BlackRock fixed income chief Rick Rieder.Markets are heavily betting on Trump to pick Hassett as the president looks for someone to slash rates at a speedy pace.A CNBC survey in December showed 84% of respondents believe Trump will choose Hassett.Prediction markets like Polymarket also show Hassett in the lead – though most bettors are placing money on Trump not naming any candidate by the end of the year.Having held key White House roles in both Trump administrations, along with working for Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, Hassett is widely viewed as the contender with the closest relationship to the president.“Personnel decisions to be made by President Trump will be announced directly by President Trump himself,” White House spokesman Kush Desai told The Post in a statement.
“Any discussion until then is pointless speculation.”The upcoming round of interviews comes after a handful of meetings with potential candidates were abruptly canceled last week.Earlier this month, Trump told reporters that he knows his top pick to replace Powell, so it’s unclear if this week’s interviews are just the last step in the process or if the president has changed his mind.Trump, who nominated Powel...