Two to three percentage points lower than where they sit now
Com o mandato de Jerome Powell à frente do Federal Reserve se encerrando em maio de 2026, Donald Trump anunciou que revelará o nome do próximo presidente do banco central americano ainda esta semana, pondo fim a meses de especulação que pairavam sobre mercados e corredores do poder em Washington. A escolha vai além de uma simples troca de comando: ela carrega o peso das convicções do presidente sobre juros, crescimento e os limites da independência da instituição mais poderosa do sistema financeiro global.
- Trump prometeu anunciar o substituto de Powell em questão de dias, encerrando semanas de incerteza que mantiveram mercados e analistas em compasso de espera.
- O Fed decidiu ontem manter os juros entre 3,50% e 3,75%, decisão que não silenciou as críticas do presidente, que insiste que as taxas poderiam ser dois a três pontos percentuais menores.
- A diferença defendida por Trump não é marginal — ela redefiniria o custo de hipotecas, dívidas corporativas e as decisões financeiras de milhões de americanos comuns.
- O nome escolhido será lido como um sinal: um presidente alinhado com Trump pode acelerar cortes de juros, enquanto um defensor da independência institucional pode resistir às pressões políticas.
- Os mercados aguardam o anúncio como o primeiro indicador concreto de para onde a nova administração pretende conduzir a política monetária americana.
Donald Trump anunciou que revelará o nome do sucessor de Jerome Powell à frente do Federal Reserve ainda esta semana, encerrando meses de especulação sobre a liderança do banco central americano. O mandato de Powell termina em maio de 2026, e o presidente tem sido incomumente vocal não apenas sobre quem deve ocupar o cargo, mas sobre o que essa pessoa deverá fazer ao assumi-lo.
O momento do anúncio é carregado de significado. O comitê de política monetária do Fed votou ontem pela manutenção dos juros na faixa de 3,50% a 3,75% — decisão que não amenizou as críticas de Trump, que voltou a afirmar que os custos de crédito poderiam ser dois a três pontos percentuais menores. Trata-se de uma diferença substancial, capaz de alterar desde o valor das prestações de imóveis até o cálculo de quem pondera abrir um negócio.
O escolhido herdará um momento de rara complexidade: uma economia mais resiliente do que muitos previam, uma inflação que recuou dos picos mas ainda supera a meta de 2%, e um presidente que deixou clara sua preferência por condições monetárias mais frouxas. A escolha revelará o quanto Trump pretende moldar a direção do Fed — e onde, para ele, terminam os limites da independência da instituição.
Donald Trump said this week that he plans to name Jerome Powell's successor as Federal Reserve chair within the next seven days, finally resolving the question that has hung over Washington and Wall Street for weeks now. Powell's term as the nation's central banker ends in May 2026, and the president has been unusually vocal about who should take the job—or more precisely, about what that person should do once they get it.
The timing of the announcement matters. Markets have been waiting for clarity on Fed leadership at a moment when monetary policy itself is under intense scrutiny. Just yesterday, the Federal Reserve's policy committee voted to hold interest rates steady at a range of 3.50 to 3.75 percent, a decision that did nothing to quiet Trump's persistent criticism of the current rate environment.
Trump has made no secret of his view that rates are too high. He said again this week that borrowing costs could reasonably be two to three percentage points lower than where they sit now. That's a substantial gap—the kind of difference that would reshape everything from mortgage payments to corporate debt service to the calculus of ordinary Americans deciding whether to buy a house or start a business. The president's repeated emphasis on this point signals where his priorities lie as he prepares to hand off the Fed's leadership to someone new.
The announcement coming next week will end months of speculation and positioning. Trump has had time to consider candidates, to weigh their views on inflation and growth and the proper role of the central bank in managing the economy. Whoever he names will inherit a complex moment: an economy that has proven more resilient than many expected, inflation that has come down from its peaks but remains above the Fed's two percent target, and a president who has made clear his preference for lower rates and, by extension, easier monetary conditions.
The choice will say something about Trump's economic philosophy and his vision for the Fed's independence—or the limits of it. A chair who shares his skepticism about current rate levels might accelerate the pace of cuts. A chair who maintains the institution's traditional distance from political pressure might resist. Either way, the markets are watching. The announcement next week will be the first concrete signal of which direction the new administration intends to push.
Citas Notables
Trump said interest rates could reasonably be two to three percentage points lower than current levels— Donald Trump, U.S. President
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does it matter so much who sits in that chair? The Fed is supposed to be independent.
Independent in theory, yes. But the president appoints the chair, and the chair sets the tone for how the institution thinks about its mandate. Trump is clearly signaling what he wants: lower rates, faster cuts, a Fed that leans toward growth over caution.
And Powell wouldn't do that?
Powell has been more hawkish—more focused on controlling inflation even if it means keeping rates higher. Trump sees that as a constraint on the economy. He wants someone more aligned with his view.
So this announcement is really about policy direction, not just personnel?
Exactly. It's Trump saying: the next Fed chair will think differently about what the economy needs. That's a significant shift in how the central bank might operate.
What happens to markets when that announcement comes?
They'll price in expectations about future rate cuts. If the new chair is seen as dovish—willing to cut rates—you could see bond yields fall, stocks rise, the dollar weaken. It's all connected.
And if the choice surprises people?
Then you get volatility. Markets hate uncertainty. They've been waiting weeks for this. Once it's named, at least everyone knows what they're dealing with.