Trump administration officials moved to reassure financial markets that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's job is safe following a report that said President Donald Trump has repeatedly discussed firing the central bank chief after last week's Fed rate hike.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a pair of tweets Saturday evening that he had spoken with the president about the matter, and he quoted Trump as saying he didn't believe he had the authority to remove the central bank chief.
Mick Mulvaney, the incoming White House chief of staff, said Sunday he had spoken to Mnuchin and that Trump "now realizes he does not have the ability" to fire a Fed chairman. Trump, a prolific tweeter, has not directly addressed the issue himself.
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