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Jerome Powell on national debt

From Watch live: Powell testifies before House after keeping interest rates steady · · The Hill

“I do. I think I tried to be clear that the level of the US debt is not itself unsustainable, but the path that we're on is unsustainable, and I think that is not controversial.”

Jerome Powell
Chair, Federal Reserve of the United States
Policy Impact national debtfiscal policy

On , Jerome Powell, Chair at Federal Reserve of the United States, spoke about national debt during Watch live: Powell testifies before House after keeping interest rates steady on The Hill.

Watch live: Powell testifies before House after keeping interest rates steady
Watch on YouTube at 28:52
Watch live: Powell testifies before House after keeping interest rates steady
The Hill
Watch on YouTube at 28:52
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is slated to testify Wednesday before the House Committee on financial services to discuss ...
Jerome Powell

About Jerome Powell

Chair · Federal Reserve of the United States

Jerome Powell, the former chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, received the 2026 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in May 2026 at a ceremony in Boston. In his acceptance speech, Powell said the Federal Reserve had been undergoing a "stress test," and warned against political interference in monetary policy. He stated that the Fed makes its decisions based on economic analysis and does not "take into account the fortunes of any political party or politician in making those decisions." Powell argued that legal protections insulating the Fed from political pressure have served the public well, and said that "if any administration finds a way to remove Fed officials over policy differences, then future administrations will do so as well," adding that the Fed's credibility would be lost. Powell’s eight-year term as Fed chair ended on May 15, 2026. He announced during an April FOMC press conference that he would remain on the Board of Governors for an unspecified period, saying his decision was driven by concerns over "legal attacks on the Fed" by the administration. He stated he planned to keep "a low profile" and that Kevin Warsh, once confirmed and sworn in, would be the new chair. In his last FOMC press conference, the committee held interest rates steady, noting that inflation was elevated in part due to rising global energy prices and citing a high level of uncertainty in the economic outlook.

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