Powell Says He Will Remain as Fed Chair Until Successor Is Confirmed

New York Times
by Tony Romm
March 18, 2026
2 views
3 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he will remain in office until a successor is confirmed and a criminal investigation concludes.

AI Summary

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated he will remain in his position until a successor is confirmed by the Senate and until a criminal investigation into his handling of renovations at the central bank concludes. Powell's announcement addresses questions about his tenure amid the ongoing probe into the renovation process. The dual conditions he set mean his departure timeline is now tied to both the Senate confirmation process for a replacement chair and the resolution of the criminal investigation. This stance comes as the Trump administration and Congress may be evaluating leadership at major federal agencies. Powell's insistence on remaining through both proceedings suggests he intends to maintain continuity at the Fed despite the scrutiny over his handling of the renovation matter.

What's Being Done

A criminal investigation into Powell's handling of central bank renovations is ongoing; the Senate must confirm his successor.

Source Coverage Map

7 of 43 tracked sources covered this story

16% coverage
Did Not Cover (36)
ICIJ97AP World News96AP News96AP US News96AP Top News96+31 more

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Other Sources Covering This Story

5 sources

Multiple outlets have reported on this story. Compare perspectives from different sources.

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

Judge blocks DOJ subpoenas involving Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Government Transparency

Judge blocks DOJ subpoenas involving Fed Chair Jerome Powell

A federal judge blocked subpoenas issued by the Justice Department against Fed Chair Jerome Powell after determining the government "produced essentially zero evidence."

ABC NewsMar 13
Judge quashes subpoenas in Justice Department's investigation of Fed chair Jerome Powell - AP News
Government Transparency

Judge quashes subpoenas in Justice Department's investigation of Fed chair Jerome Powell - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwFBVV95cUxQcjZjTmFMcUo5TXI5UlpWNkRFRi1hQ0VyYjVWSndUemdHMW1tWVFoNThGYVh6REk5Q3k0YThMS2RCa3M0cDNSVlNVQTZ6SkpKS3JRTXIteDNYTUU5SC16NGNTRC1LcVJzOGJTVXV2WlY0RkVBdW1rYmJEVlBXdXNKWmhZQ1FPOU0?oc=5" target="_blank">Judge quashes subpoenas in Justice Department's investigation of Fed chair Jerome Powell</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 13
New economic projections signal a tricky Federal Reserve path
Finance

New economic projections signal a tricky Federal Reserve path

<p>The Federal Reserve will almost certainly hold rates steady, but fresh economic projections and other communications due out Wednesday afternoon will show how the central bank is absorbing two uncomfortable realities at once.</p><p><strong>Why it matters: </strong>The energy shock from the Iran war adds a new factor to the Fed's complicated calculus. Inflation is running hotter than expected, even before the war's impact materializes in the data. Labor market data has been grim, and it's unclear how a sustained oil shock could weigh more heavily on the economy.</p><hr><ul><li>Whatever the projections show will set the table for Fed chair Jerome Powell's successor, Kevin Warsh.</li></ul><p><strong>What they're saying: </strong>"The new dot plot likely will indicate that most members retain a bias to ease policy this year and in 2027," Sam Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macro, wrote in a client note.</p><ul><li>But Tombs cautioned that "the biggest risk to markets" is if n...

AxiosMar 17
Powell called these 13 lawmakers as DOJ opened criminal probe
Politics

Powell called these 13 lawmakers as DOJ opened criminal probe

In the week after the Department of Justice (DOJ) opened a criminal probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, the central bank head called 13 lawmakers. The calls, listed on Powell’s public calendar for January, were all 10 to 15 minutes in length. The Fed chair spoke with lawmakers from both chambers of Congress and…

The HillMar 12
Justice Dept. Legal Threat Complicates Trump’s Pick for Fed Chair
Politics

Justice Dept. Legal Threat Complicates Trump’s Pick for Fed Chair

An investigation of the Federal Reserve was thwarted on Friday, but a department appeal could reimpose an obstacle in Kevin Warsh’s path.

New York TimesMar 14
FCC chair threatens networks' licenses as Trump criticizes Iran war coverage
Government Transparency

FCC chair threatens networks' licenses as Trump criticizes Iran war coverage

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr did not name specific networks, but his post included a reference to a Saturday morning Truth Social post from the president.

CBS NewsMar 14
Read Next
Trump’s $10 billion TikTok ‘brokerage fee’ is just the tip of the iceberg
Politics

Trump’s $10 billion TikTok ‘brokerage fee’ is just the tip of the iceberg

Not only is this pay-to-play arrangement with the federal government unprecedented; it also smacks of possible corruption.

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources