U.S. Treasury Secretary to meet with Waller, Lindsey, and Bullard this week, search for Federal Reserve Chair candidate continues

The search for the next chairperson of the Federal Reserve is underway, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent leading meetings with several candidates on President Trump's shortlist. According to media reports citing a source from the U.S. Treasury, Bessent recently met with former Federal Reserve officials Lawrence Lindsey, Kevin Warsh, and James Bullard. Lindsey and Warsh both served as Federal Reserve governors, while Bullard is the former president of the St. Louis Fed. The goal is to add one or two more candidates to the list already mentioned by Trump. The current list includes Warsh, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and current Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller. Additionally, Bessent is considering a broader range that includes 11 economists, comprising former and current Federal Reserve officials as well as some market strategists. In addition to interviewing candidates, Bessent is also pushing his own reform agenda for the Federal Reserve. According to sources, he hopes the Federal Reserve can naturally reduce its massive bond portfolio on its balance sheet, particularly the $6 trillion in U.S. Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities (MBS), in a way that does not disrupt the markets or the economy. Furthermore, Bessent aims to shrink the Federal Reserve's "footprint" in the economy. This news comes as the Federal Reserve is under close scrutiny from the White House. Trump and several other government officials have been calling for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, and there has not been a rate cut since December 2024. The market widely expects that the Federal Reserve will cut rates by 25 basis points at its meeting next week. Last week, Bessent wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal outlining his views on the Federal Reserve. He criticized the Federal Reserve for what he termed "functional gains," meaning it repeatedly exceeds its narrow mandate of maintaining low unemployment and low inflation. "The Federal Reserve must change direction. Its toolkit has become overly complex, and its theoretical foundation is not solid enough." Industry insiders generally expect significant changes at the Federal Reserve over the next year: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's term will expire in May 2026, and although he can continue to serve as a governor for two more years, he is certain to be replaced in the chair position. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on Monday on the nomination of Stephen Miran to fill a vacancy on the Federal Reserve Board. Additionally, Trump is pushing to remove Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, citing allegations of mortgage fraud, but a court has currently blocked him from doing so