White House: While emphasizing that the Department of Justice will decide if there are any legal concerns, the White House defended President Donald Trump’s frequent criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

The president has been explicit in his evaluation of Powell’s performance, according to press secretary Caroline Leavitt. “The President has made it very evident that Jerome Powell is terrible at his job,” Leavitt said.

Trump has the right to openly voice that opinion, she added.

“The President’s criticism of the Fed chair is quite legitimate. Like all of us, he is entitled to the First Amendment,” she remarked.

Leavitt gave a clear response when asked whether the President ordered the Justice Department to look into Powell.

“No,” she said.

According to Leavitt, law enforcement officials alone have the authority to determine if anything is potentially unlawful.

“The Department of Justice will need to investigate whether Jerome Powell is a criminal,” she said.

The government hasn’t been involved in that process, she said.

“It appears that they plan to discover that,” she said.

Leavitt also spoke about concerns over the independence of the Federal Reserve.

When asked whether the President thinks the Fed should function independently, she said, “He has and he said that many times.”

She also restated Trump’s stance on interest rates.

“The President, along with numerous economists, has stated unequivocally that interest rates ought to be reduced, and this should have been done a long time ago,” she added.

Regarding Senate actions pertaining to Federal Reserve candidates, Leavitt refused to comment.

“I haven’t discussed Senator Tillis’ remarks with the President,” she said.

Presidents and Fed chairmen often clash during times of high inflation or economic strain, even though the Fed functions independently of the White House.

For markets, consumers, and international investors—including those in developing nations like India—interest rate policy continues to be a major concern.