President Donald Trump suggested he wants to keep National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett in his current role rather than nominating him to become Federal Reserve chair.
“I see Kevin’s in the audience, and I just want to thank you. You were fantastic on television today. I actually want to keep you where you are, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said today at a White House event. “Kevin has it so good … We don’t want to lose him.”
Hassett, a conservative economist who has advised Republicans throughout his career, has long been seen as the front-runner in Trump’s deliberations for Fed chair, praised for his ability to articulate the president’s sweeping policies.
More context: In an interview with Fox Business earlier today, Hassett weighed in on the Justice Department’s investigation of Fed Chair Jerome Powell over testimony he gave last year on the central bank’s $2.5 billion renovation to its Washington, DC, headquarters — the same interview Trump said he watched.
“We at the White House, we respect the independence of the Fed. … (US Attorney) Jeanine Pirro said that she was asking questions all the way back a few months ago, and so they felt the necessity of doing it this way. I find that regrettable,” Hassett said.
“Jay’s a good man, I expect that there’s nothing to see here — that the cost overruns are related to things like asbestos, as he says — but I sure wish they had been more transparent,” he added.
It’s unclear whether Hassett was referring to the federal probe itself as “regrettable,” or how the Fed handled the Justice Department’s questions about the renovation.
Last month, Trump hinted he may nominate Hassett to be Fed chair.
