Maggie Haberman: Trump Sources Trying Really Hard To Keep Trump From Firing Fed Chair

CNN commentator and New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman told anchor Kasie Hunt that President Donald Trump’s senior White House aides are engaged in an effort to keep him from trying to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell over his remarks on Trump’s trade policies.

Trump repeatedly attacked Powell on Thursday and invoked his “termination” less than 24 hours after Powell’s remarks on the worsening impact of Trump’s tariff policies.

The independence of the Federal Reserve chair is a longstanding norm, but experts say it is unclear what would happen if Trump were to try to fire Powell.

On Thursday’s edition of CNN’s The Arena, Haberman said she doesn’t think Trump will act in the near future, but added “this is Donald Trump and things could change day to day.”

Haberman also told Hunt “there is an effort” within the White House to restrain Trump from trying to fire Powell:

HUNT: Maggie, I want to start with you. I’m very grateful to have you join the show.

The Wall Street Journal is just out reporting that — we’re going to attribute the reporting to them here at CNN. We don’t have it independently ourselves. But he said, the Journal reports that Trump has spoken with Kevin Warsh — he’s a former Fed governor — about potentially firing Powell. And then before his term ends and then possibly selecting Warsh to be his replacement.

The reporting says Warsh has advised against firing Powell, argued he should let the Fed chair complete his term without interference. He, of course, has about a year left on it.

I realize, obviously, you know, your reporting maybe in a different place on this, but I’m hoping you can kind of help us understand what has happened between Donald Trump and Jerome Powell that is driving all of this.

HABERMAN: Jerome Powell is not doing what Donald Trump wants, which is to lower rates. Trump is watching — watching rates get cut elsewhere, and so, Trump is doing what Trump does, which is engage in a pressure campaign publicly. This is going to test the limits of what Trump is able to do.

Now, Kasie, the people that I have spoken to who are in touch with President Trump about this and are having conversations with him about it say he is not imminently going to try to push out Jerome Powell, bearing in mind that this is Donald Trump and things could change day to day.

They are well aware in the White House that the markets are struggling, and they are well aware of what the last two weeks have looked like for this administration. So, while. Trump is frustrated and is going to say this publicly, there is an effort to try to keep him from doing this.

And just again, to note, Kasie, yes. I’m not — I’m sure he has had some kind of a conversation like that with Kevin Warsh. I’m sure Kevin Warsh advised him, as “The Journal” is reporting, but I do not believe Donald Trump is looking to do this today. He has been talking about firing the Fed chair going back to his first term. It’s nothing new.

HUNT: Right. Which is why, of course, Powell felt like he had to come out and say that.

Does Trump feel personally betrayed by Powell? He was asked in the oval today, did he regret appointing him in the first place? Does he?

HABERMAN: Yes. In the way that he ends up regretting appointing everybody who he appoints, who doesn’t do exactly what he wants? And when he looks across the government, he doesn’t believe that there should be pockets of independence, especially when its people who he has appointed.

But again, there are Supreme Court cases that are ongoing right now related to independent agencies and what the limits of presidential power are. And the White House is mindful of that. And so, while Trump may be personally disappointed, and he made very clear in the Oval Office that he is, I think that this is going to be something of a — of a line that he will be cautious about crossing.

But again, given how unrestrained Trump has been in this term so far, I don’t want to suggest that something is — is not going to happen, but I don’t think it is going to happen anytime soon.

HUNT: Really interesting.

Watch above via CNN’s The Arena,