Trump's Fed Chair Shortlist: Hassett, Warsh, and Waller

Trump Names Three-Man Shortlist For Fed Chair

U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed his shortlist of candidates who could potentially replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell. This development comes ahead of the FOMC meeting, which is expected to significantly influence the crypto market.

According to a Reuters report, the shortlist includes:

• Kevin Hassett, former Fed Advisor
• Kevin Warsh, former Fed Governor
• Chris Waller, current Fed Governor

Trump also mentioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who stated he isn't interested in the position. This follows Bessent’s earlier comments about 11 “strong” candidates being considered.

Trump has expressed his intention to appoint someone who supports rapid interest rate cuts, a stance in contrast to Powell's approach this year.

Waller has publicly aligned himself with the president's push for interest rate cuts. He recently stated he would support a rate cut at the upcoming FOMC meeting, suggesting multiple cuts in the next three to six months.

Hassett, as a Trump aide, has been critical of the Federal Reserve and is known to be dovish. Warsh has maintained more discretion regarding his economic views.

Waller Emerges As Favorite For The Job

Polymarket data indicates that Chris Waller is currently the frontrunner to replace Jerome Powell, with a 28.7% chance of being named Fed Chair by December. Hassett and Warsh have probabilities of 17.2% and 10.8%, respectively. The data also suggests a 40% chance that no successor to Powell will be named before the end of the year.

Waller's appeal stems from his forward-looking approach and willingness to work with projections. He also shows openness to the crypto industry. The Federal Reserve plans to host a ‘Payments Innovation’ conference focusing on stablecoins and tokenization.