Former President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, publicly demanding a rate cut—or Powell’s resignation—just as the Fed elected to keep rates unchanged. Despite the political firestorm, markets, including crypto assets like Bitcoin, showed remarkable resilience while investors watched for broader policy signals.
Donald Trump, stepping once again into monetary debate, took to Truth Social on June 19, 2025, to blast Jerome Powell’s handling of U.S. interest rates. Trump did not mince words, calling Powell “the worst” and “costing America billions,” pressing for rapid rate reductions or the chairman’s resignation. The post arrived mere hours after the Federal Reserve announced its decision to maintain its benchmark rate between 4.25% and 4.5%. Trump’s critique was soon echoed by influential voices within the financial sector, including regulators overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, amplifying the pressure on Powell’s leadership.
During the Federal Reserve’s latest media briefing, Chair Powell reiterated his cautious stance: policy would not change until there is greater clarity on inflation and unemployment dynamics. Powell emphasized the central bank’s readiness to wait for more conclusive economic data before making further moves. This “wait-and-see” policy aligns with previous Fed actions and highlights an increased focus on macroeconomic indicators amid persistent inflation concerns. Notably, markets responded with minimal volatility, a sharp contrast to past instances where Trump’s monetary commentary has triggered rapid swings—suggesting investors are hedging bets against knee-jerk policy reactions this time around.
Unlike in 2018, when Trump’s similar critiques of Powell were met with sharp market spasms, today’s financial and crypto markets took the news in stride. Analysts note that as long as major policy changes remain on hold, digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum will likely face persistent, but manageable, pressure. The Coincu research team points out that any future pivots by the Fed could rapidly inject volatility back into the system; for now, however, investors remain focused on long-term fundamentals. Bitcoin’s continued climb past $104,000 demonstrates crypto’s ability to weather short-term political noise in the absence of significant monetary shifts.
While political tensions swirl around the Fed’s policies, the broader market reaction—particularly in crypto—remains muted. Investors will watch closely for further guidance from the Federal Reserve, but for now, resilience in digital assets prevails. Should interest rates or inflation outlooks shift, new waves of volatility may follow. Until then, steady hands appear to be governing the world’s largest financial and crypto markets.
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