May 22, 2026, 7:44 AM

Trump will swear in Warsh on Friday to lead U.S. Federal Reserve

President Donald Trump is scheduled to host a swearing-in ceremony for Kevin Warsh, his pick to lead the Federal Reserve, on Friday at the White House. Warsh is the incoming chair of the U.S. central bank.

The White House setting for the ceremony marks a departure from recent tradition. Swearing-in ceremonies for Federal Reserve chairs have typically taken place at the Fed's headquarters, without the president in attendance.

This change in venue reflects the personal stake President Trump has taken in the selection of the top Fed role, amid ongoing discussions regarding the central bank’s independence.

For example, the 2018 ceremony for then-incoming Fed Chair Jerome Powell occurred at the Federal Reserve building, without the president present, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The decision to hold the ceremony at the White House has drawn comment from economists. David Wilcox, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and director of U.S. economic research at Bloomberg Economics, described the venue choice as “not a good look” given the sensitive nature of the Fed's role.

Wilcox further suggested that holding the ceremony at Fed headquarters would have offered a "small but meaningful reassurance," particularly in light of widespread concerns that Warsh might not maintain sufficient distance from the White House.

The Federal Reserve operates independently from the executive branch, a structure designed to allow it to make monetary policy decisions free from political influence. This independence is often seen as crucial for maintaining economic stability and public confidence.

The incoming chair will assume leadership of the central bank at a time when its policies can significantly impact the U.S. and global economies.

Sources