Until then, Trump’s comments Thursday suggest he expects to regularly second-guess the Fed in public, despite a decades-long tradition among previous presidents of taking a hands-off approach to the central bank. Former president Joe Biden reappointed Powell, rather than replacing him, in a nod to central bank independence from politics.

Key Takeaways It would be a huge surprise to financial markets if the Federal Reserve did anything other than hold its interest rate flat when the Fed's policy committee meets Wednesday.The Fed's battle to subdue inflation is entering a holding pattern.

Federal Reserve likely to keep interest rates steady amid Trump's push for lower rates, despite economic uncertainty.