Trump Criticizes Fed Chair Powell as Incompetent
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 19 2026
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Investigation Impact: Trump supports the investigation into Fed Chair Powell, claiming the multibillion-dollar renovation costs at the Washington headquarters indicate potential criminality, which could further delay the confirmation of his successor, Warsh.
- Rate Policy Controversy: Trump accuses Powell of being unwilling to lower interest rates immediately, labeling him as incompetent and stubborn, which may affect market perceptions of the Fed's independence and investor confidence.
- Legal Challenges: A U.S. District Judge blocked subpoenas against Powell, stating that the government's investigation might be an attempt to pressure him into lowering rates, leading to an appeal by the prosecutor, highlighting tensions between legal and policy matters.
- Appointment Obstacles: Senator Tillis has vowed to block Warsh's nomination until the DOJ drops its probe into Powell, potentially leaving the Fed's leadership in uncertainty during a critical period.
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Analyst Views on JPM
Wall Street analysts forecast JPM stock price to rise
19 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
7 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 295.380
Low
260.00
Averages
341.38
High
400.00
Current: 295.380
Low
260.00
Averages
341.38
High
400.00
About JPM
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a financial holding company. The Company is engaged in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. The Company operates through three segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Commercial & Investment Bank (CIB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). Its CCB segment offers products and services to consumers and small businesses through bank branches, ATMs, digital and telephone banking. Its CIB segment consists of banking and payments and markets and securities services, and offers a suite of investment banking, lending, payments, market-making, financing, custody and securities products and services to a global base of corporate and institutional clients. AWM segment offers investment and wealth management solutions. It offers multi-asset investment management solutions, retirement products and services, brokerage, custody, estate planning, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Escalating Security Threats: Iran's Revolutionary Guard has designated 18 tech companies, including Oracle, as 'legitimate targets' in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes, indicating the increasing significance of tech assets in conflicts.
- Industry Impact: James Henderson, CEO of risk management firm Healix, noted that the threats against tech companies are part of a sustained pattern, suggesting that future crises may target data centers and cloud platforms as much as traditional strategic sites.
- Historical Context: In March, Iran attacked Amazon Web Services data centers, causing outages in several apps and digital services in the UAE, underscoring the serious cybersecurity landscape in the region.
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- Threats to Tech Companies: Iran's Revolutionary Guard has designated 18 U.S. tech firms, including Oracle, as 'legitimate targets' in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes, which raises the operational risks for these companies in the Middle East.
- Rising Cybersecurity Risks: As threats against tech companies escalate, risk management expert James Henderson notes that tech assets are now viewed as integral to the conflict, suggesting future attacks may target data centers and cloud platforms, increasing security vulnerabilities in the industry.
- Historical Context: Iran previously attacked Amazon Web Services data centers in early March, causing outages in various apps and digital services in the UAE, and a repeat of such incidents could severely impact Oracle and other tech firms' operations.
See More
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- Leadership Changes: The delayed confirmation of Kevin Warsh's nomination has reduced political pressure on the Fed for a mid-year rate cut; although the incoming leadership is expected to eventually prioritize easing, the current political vacuum justifies the Fed's restrictive stance through the summer months.
- Labor Market Response: Despite the delay in rate cuts, Nomura maintains that the Fed's underlying bias remains toward easing, as Chair Jerome Powell has shown a higher sensitivity to signs of labor market weakness, suggesting that once the leadership transition is finalized and labor market conditions cool further, the path for a September rate reduction will become clearer.
See More
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- Short-Term Market Fluctuations: JPMorgan's David Kelly believes that the recent pressures from oil prices and tariffs are more indicative of short-term fluctuations rather than long-term trends, although he acknowledges a slight softness in the current economic landscape.
- GDP Outlook Adjustment: JPMorgan has revised its Q2 GDP forecast downward due to weaker tax refunds and rising oil prices, reflecting a cautious stance on economic growth.
- Inflation Expectations Shift: Kelly anticipates that CPI could rise to around 3.5% to 4% by June, but expects it to cool off quickly thereafter, projecting a return to the Fed's 2% target by year-end and potentially dipping below that in 2027.
- Expected Policy Support: He also foresees some form of support from Washington, possibly in the shape of tariff-related rebates, to alleviate economic pressures.
See More
