Fed Chair Powell praises integrity and public service amid unrelenting Trump attacks

Being an honest public servant will always be a rewarding choice, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Sunday at Princeton University amid months of unrelenting attacks from President Trump.

Being an honest public servant will always be a rewarding choice, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Sunday in a speech at a pre-graduation ceremony at Princeton University amid months of unrelenting personal attacks from President Donald Trump. “As you navigate the world of bright possibilities that awaits you, I urge you to take on the challenge and the opportunity to serve your fellow citizens,” Powell said. “Fifty years from now, you will want to be able to look in the mirror and know that you did what you thought was right, in every part of your life.” “At the end of the day, your integrity is all you have. Guard it carefully,” he said. Since taking the helm in 2018, Powell has steered the Fed through a litany of challenges, such as an economic crisis sowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, a historic bout of high inflation, and now, an erratic global trade war that has unsettled decision-makers across the world. Powell has also dealt with direct and personal attacks on his character — a rarity for someone in charge of America’s central bank. Trump has assailed Powell for not lowering interest rates quickly enough, accusing him of playing politics and describing him as a “fool” and “a major loser,” while also saying that his termination “cannot come fast enough.” Top administration officials have privately warned Trump of financial-market chaos if he were to proceed with sacking Powell, CNN previously reported.