President Donald Trump may ultimately get his wish for lower interest rates, but it isn’t likely to be the result of his intensifying criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

The right to freedom of speech allows Trump to make demands of the Fed to his heart's content. But legally, he cannot compel the central bank to lower its benchmark interest rate. The Fed has the right to act independently, and its aim is to promote a healthy and stable economy by keeping inflation in check.

WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump is once again putting public pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, calling for interest rate cuts amid signs of a cooling labor market. But while rate cuts have been projected for months, the Fed hasn’t moved since December of 2024, and Powell doesn’t seem ready to cave just yet.

A Fed policy rate that low is not typically a sign that the United States is the "hottest" country in the world for investment, as Trump has said. It is usually a crisis response to an economy in serious trouble.

U.S. President Donald Trump says the Federal Reserve should set its benchmark interest rate at 1% to lower government borrowing costs, allowing the administration to finance the high and rising deficits expected from his spending and tax-cut bill,