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Fortune
Fortune
Eleanor Pringle

Trump once again pushes Powell to drop rates 'IMMEDIATELY,' but a zero-cut year looks increasingly likely

Reserve Chair Jerome Powell arrives to speak during a press conference following the Federal Open Markets Committee meeting at the Federal Reserve on January 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Kevin Dietsch - Getty Images)

President Donald Trump may have his focus set on the conflict in the Middle East, but he’s still finding time to harrass Fed chairman Jerome Powell.

The U.S. and Israel’s military action in Iran has led many on Wall Street to the conclusion that any rate cuts in 2026 are on increasingly thin ice, owing to high oil prices fuelling inflation.

But Trump seems undeterred in his pressure campaign against the central bank. Writing on Truth Social yesterday evening, the president said: “Where is the Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome “Too Late” Powell, today? He should be dropping interest rates, IMMEDIATELY, not waiting for the next meeting!”

Trump seems to be appealing to Powell for intervention as oil prices spiralled higher yesterday, once again hitting $100 a barrel. Inflation expectations are rising as a result, as consumers and businesses prepare for the rates to be passed through into their gas and energy prices.

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