This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Amid reports that a firing for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell was imminent, President Donald Trump on Wednesday said ousting Powell was "highly unlikely," despite calling him a "knucklehead."
"I don't rule out anything, but it's highly unlikely, unless he has to leave for fraud. I mean it's possible there's fraud involved."
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Trump had drafted a letter to fire Powell, and asked Republicans if he should send it and indicated that he likely would.
"He's a knucklehead," Trump told reporters Wednesday in the Oval Office. "We like to say it like it is."
"He's always been too late, hence his nickname 'Too Late.' He should have cut interest rates a long time ago. Europe has cut 'em 10 times in a short period of time. We cut 'em none."
"I think he does a terrible job. He's costing us a lot of money, and we fight through it. It's almost, the country's become so successful it doesn't have a big impact. But it does hurt people wanting to get a mortgage, people want to buy a house. He's a terrible Fed chair."
In an interview with the "Just the News, No Noise" television show to be aired Thursday night on Real America's Voice, Trump said of Powell: "I'd love if he wants to resign. … That would be up to him."
"They say it would disrupt the market if I did (fire him). But you know, there are many people who say he should be removed because of the fraud of what he's doing at the Fed, with regard to the $2.5 billion he's spending, $2.5 billion to, I guess it's a renovation. I don't know. I'm very good at that stuff. I should go look at it."
The president was commenting on reports that Powell's renovation of his headquarters in the nation's capital has skyrocketed $700 million over budget to $2.5 billion.
"It's like one of the most expensive buildings in the world," Trump told the program.
"He's putting all sorts of parks on the top of the building, and this that. And I guarantee the contractors are making a fortune. No, this is not a guy. This is a guy always recommended. He was recommended to me by (former Treasury Secretary) Mnuchin, and he never worked out good."
