Why the Damage to Fed Independence May Have Already Been Done
Odd Lots19 Jul 2025

Why the Damage to Fed Independence May Have Already Been Done

There’s a long history of US presidents putting pressure on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, but the techniques have often been subtle or quiet in some way. Under President Trump, attacks on the Fed have risen to a whole new level. And it’s not just Trump that’s called on Chair Jerome Powell to cut rates. Other members of his administration (along with allies in Congress) have been hammering him both on policy and also topics unrelated to monetary policy, such as the cost of renovating the Federal Reserve building in Washington. Investors are taking seriously the prospect that Trump will find a way or a reason to remove Powell before the end of his term next year. And regardless of when Powell is replaced, there’s a widespread anticipation that the next Fed chair will be someone more closely resembling a Trump loyalist. So do we still have an independent Fed at this point? On this episode, we speak with University of Texas-Austin economics professor Carola Binder about why central bank independence is so cherished by economists, why mere criticism of the Fed could be inflationary, and whether Fed independence has been permanently damaged.

Read More:
Odd Lots Newsletter: Central Bank Independence Is a Spectrum
What Happened the Last Time a Fed Chief Was Bounced

Only Bloomberg.com subscribers can get the Odd Lots newsletter in their inbox — now delivered every weekday — plus unlimited access to the site and app. Subscribe at bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episoder(1190)

Greg Brew on Surging Energy and the 'Strategic Trap' of the War in Iran

Greg Brew on Surging Energy and the 'Strategic Trap' of the War in Iran

The war in Iran has already lasted longer than many people might have expected. There was an initial assumption, after oil prices started surging, that President Trump could just declare victory at an...

20 Mar 53min

How War in Iran Will Squeeze America's Farmers Even Further

How War in Iran Will Squeeze America's Farmers Even Further

America’s farmers can’t seem to catch a break. Years of thin margins and rising costs have already stretched them to the limit. And now, war with Iran is making things even harder. The conflict is dri...

19 Mar 47min

War in Iran Is Redrawing the Map for Natural Gas

War in Iran Is Redrawing the Map for Natural Gas

Mostly, the world has been watching the price of oil skyrocket amid the war in Iran and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But there's more than just oil that comes out of the region. Qatar...

18 Mar 44min

War in Iran is Chewing Through American Missile Stockpiles

War in Iran is Chewing Through American Missile Stockpiles

The war in Iran has been fought almost entirely in the skies, with both offensive missiles, as well as anti-missile defense systems. But the math is brutal. The war in Ukraine has already put a dent i...

16 Mar 44min

What War in Iran Means for China's Teapot Oil Refineries

What War in Iran Means for China's Teapot Oil Refineries

In the wake of the war in Iran, oil prices have shot up for everyone. But not all oil is exactly equal. And, obviously, a lot of Iranian oil goes to China specifically. Furthermore, because Iran’s oil...

13 Mar 43min

Legendary Hacker Matt Suiche on Cyberwar in the Age of AI

Legendary Hacker Matt Suiche on Cyberwar in the Age of AI

We tend to think of warfare in two distinct arenas: the physical and the digital. Increasingly, however, those lines are blurring. Last week, Iran launched drone strikes on data centers in the UAE and...

12 Mar 49min

War in Iran Is Creating a Fertilizer Crisis Like Never Before

War in Iran Is Creating a Fertilizer Crisis Like Never Before

We all know that the war with Iran has sent oil prices spiking. But it’s also pushing up the cost of all sorts of chemicals, including fertilizers like urea, ammonia and other nitrogen products that a...

11 Mar 30min

Rory Johnston on How Oil Could Surge to Over $200 a Barrel

Rory Johnston on How Oil Could Surge to Over $200 a Barrel

Oil has obviously spiked massively since the start of the war with Iran. And if you look at various end products, such as jet fuel, the surge is even more extreme. And if the war is prolonged, or if t...

10 Mar 36min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
dine-penger-pengeradet
e24-podden
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
pengepodden-2
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
finansredaksjonen
utbytte
pengesnakk
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
liberal-halvtime
rss-sunn-okonomi
lederpodden
rss-pa-konto
rss-investering-gjort-enkelt
rss-markedspuls-2