Trump demands 1% rates after Fed hikes under Warsh

President Donald Trump amplified his criticism of the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, urging interest rates to be reduced significantly as the central bank increased borrowing costs to tackle persistent inflation. In a post on Truth Social, Trump called for US interest rates to be 1% or less, stating that the United States holds the best credit globally.

He demanded that the central bank act swiftly to lower rates. This marked Trump's most explicit criticism yet of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, whom he appointed earlier this year to succeed Jerome Powell. Trump had frequently attacked Powell for not cutting rates aggressively enough during his tenure.

The Federal Reserve unanimously raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.75%-4%, marking its first increase in over three years. The central bank also indicated that borrowing costs could rise further in an attempt to bring inflation under control. Warsh, who assumed office in June, defended the decision, describing it as a prudent, serious, and responsible choice. He contended that inflation remained excessively high and had persisted for too long.

Warsh's projections showed that 16 out of 18 policymakers expected at least one more rate increase by the end of the year, while two favored maintaining current levels. He did not favor providing forward guidance and did not submit a rate projection. The central bank's policy statement stated that economic activity was expanding steadily, while inflation remained elevated, underscoring that the latest rate increase would expedite the return to the Fed's 2% inflation objective.

Warsh suggested that recent inflation readings did not indicate improving underlying price pressures. When asked if he planned to meet Trump to explain the Fed's decision, Warsh declined to comment on any discussions with the president. Trump extended his criticism to connect US trade deficits with the Fed's interest-rate policy, though the two issues are largely separate.

He accused the United States of carrying trade deficits with nearly every country in the world and threatened to cut off trade with nations maintaining trade surpluses if the Fed did not lower interest rates.