Citadels Ken Griffin urges Trump to create distance between White House, Fed with his pick for chairman

Citadel CEO Ken Griffin on Tuesday urged President Trump to prioritize creating “distance” between himself and the Federal Reserve with his pick for chairman. The hedge fund billionaire shared his advice amid concerns that Trump’s pick to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell – a neck-and-neck race between economic adviser Kevin Hassett and former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh – could be too closely tied to the Oval Office.“The most important move the president and the incoming Fed chairman can make…is to create distance between the White House and the Fed,” Griffin said during an event in Paris after he was asked whether Hassett should be chosen for the role.Griffin declined to endorse a specific candidate, saying he didn’t think “throwing” his pick in the mix “helps to add anything to the argument or decision at hand.”“The president will hopefully make a decision from the perspective of who will give the global markets and the American investment public and the consumer the greatest peace of mind that we will manage inflation in America,” he added.Hassett, currently director of the National Economic Council, has served in both Trump administrations and emerged as the frontrunner to lead the Fed last month, Bloomberg reported.But Wall Street titans, corporate CEOs and money managers have been urging the president not to pick Hassett – concerned he will simply do Trump’s bidding instead of following trends in the bond markets, The Post previously reported.While Hassett last month held a large lead on prediction markets betting on the next Fed chairman, it briefly changed hands with Warsh after Trump told the Wall Street Journal last week that Warsh had shot to the top of his list.“I think you have Kevin and Kevin.They’re both – I think the two Kevins are great,” Trump said.JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, meanwhile, hinted last week that he was rooting for Warsh, who served as a Fed governor from 2006 to 2011.Griffin has long been a m...