Powell once said he couldn't imagine leaving the Fed early—other than dying. 'You will not see me getting in the lifeboat'

(Credit: Kent Nishimura—Getty Images)

• As President Donald Trump continues to put pressure on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, an earlier standoff between the two men could offer clues on how their current one might play out. In 2019, like today, Trump demanded the central bank hurry up and cut rates, raising questions about Powell’s future as Fed chief and whether he would step down.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled in 2019 that he would rather go down with the ship than save his own skin and compromise the independence of the central bank.