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August 5, 2025 | Washington, D.C.

In a significant turn of events, former President Donald $TRUMP has officially removed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from consideration to replace Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve Chair. The reason? Bessent himself reportedly declined the offer, choosing instead to remain in his current role at the Treasury.

> “I love Scott, but he wants to stay where he is,” Trump told CNBC. “I’ll take him off, because I asked him just last night, ‘Is this something you want?’ [He said] ‘Nope, I want to stay where I am.’”

Trump’s updated shortlist now features former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh, White House economist Kevin Hassett, and two yet-to-be-named candidates. This shake-up comes as Trump continues to lambast current Fed Chair Jerome Powell, criticizing him for dragging his feet on implementing interest rate cuts. The former president has gone so far as to call Powell “a numbskull” and “a complete moron,” placing the blame for recent economic instability squarely on the central bank's leadership.

A Divided Fed in Uncertain Times

The Federal Reserve recently held rates steady amid global trade uncertainty and fragile economic indicators. But not without dissent: Fed Governor Christopher Waller and Vice Chair Michelle Bowman both pushed for a quarter-point cut, exposing deep internal division.

Further complicating matters, Fed Governor Adriana Kugler resigned just last week, leaving another vacancy on the board. Trump confirmed he will appoint a temporary replacement within days—an unusual four-month term, which many see as a possible audition for the permanent chair role once Powell’s term ends in 2026.

Bessent’s Influence Isn’t Over

Though Bessent has stepped away from the Fed chair spotlight, he remains a major player in Trump’s economic circle. He’s now leading high-level trade negotiations, including recent U.S.-China talks held in Sweden, with a critical August 12 deadline looming for tariff decisions. His presence at the negotiating table underlines his continuing influence in shaping economic policy—especially as it intersects with the 2025 campaign cycle.

Kevin Hassett, another name floated for Fed leadership, confirmed Bessent is still heavily involved in vetting potential candidates, suggesting that even from behind the curtain, Bessent's voice will shape who leads the Fed next.

Key Takeaways:

Scott Bessent is out of the running for Fed Chair.

Kevin Warsh and Kevin Hassett are top contenders.

$TRUMP will appoint a four-month interim Fed Governor—possibly as a test run.

Internal Fed tensions emerge over stalled rate cuts.

U.S.-China trade negotiations remain tense ahead of August 12 deadline.

The economic and political stakes are growing—and the markets are watching closely.

#FedWatch #CryptoNews #TrumpEconomy #Bessent #JeromePowell

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