Trump weighed ousting Powell in 2018, but the Fed chief told then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that he would fight his removal, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told reporters Thursday he would not step down from his appointed position if Donald Trump asked him to, saying he’d have no obligation to leave if the president requested it before the end of his term in 2026.

Jerome H. Powell, the chairman of the central bank, has been a frequent target of the president-elect, who appointed him in 2018.

The question of whether Mr. Powell might be on the chopping block should Trump serve a second term has been the subject of debate through the course

Speculation arises over Trump's ability to fire Fed chief Powell, highlighting the Fed's independence from presidential influence.

Powell was nominated by Trump in 2017 to succeed now-Treasure Secretary Janet Yellen. President Joe Biden chose to put him forward for another term in 2021 despite the objection of progressive members of his party. Powell’s term as Fed chair expires in May 2026, and he has previously signaled that he intends to serve the full four years.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said he would not resign from his position if President-elect Donald Trump asks him to do so.

The central bank has made its latest interest rate decision amid reports about Fed Chair Jerome Powell.