The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signaled that he may keep the head of the White House National Economic Council (NEC, in English abbreviation) in his current position. Trump said that “perhaps he would want to keep the NEC director where he is,” amid speculation about a possible nomination to the post of chair of the Federal Reserve (Fed, the U.S. central bank) by the Republican. Hassett is one of the names considered by Trump to replace Jerome Powell, who will leave the post in May as Fed chair.
Commenting on the topic, the U.S. president offered direct praise for the adviser and signaled caution before any decision. According to Trump, “we don’t want to lose him at the White House. We’ll see what to do.”
During an event on investments in rural health this Friday, speaking specifically about the possibility of Hassett taking over the American central bank, Trump said, “we will see how this unfolds,” underscoring that the process remains open.
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The president also compared the adviser’s profile with that of Fed leaders by highlighting his communication ability. “Fed officials do not speak publicly very often. Hassett is good at talking on TV,” he said.
The remarks come as the administration prepares to announce the name of the next Fed chair in the coming weeks. In addition to Hassett, the list includes current Fed directors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, former director Kevin Warsh, and Rick Rieder, a BlackRock executive.
Trump has already stated that he expects to make the final decision soon, a stance echoed on Thursday the 15th by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Following Trump’s statements, betting markets began pricing in a clear shift in the outlook for the Fed’s leadership. On Kalshi, Warsh emerged as the leading favorite to chair the Fed, with a 59% probability, reflecting the view that Hassett may remain at the White House. A similar move was observed on Polymarket, where Warsh also led bets, with a 58% chance, consolidating the turn in expectations.
Hassett, who had previously been seen as Trump’s favorite, then registered 14% on Kalshi and 15% on Polymarket, slightly behind Christopher Waller in market pricing in both cases. The estimates were collected around 12:50 p.m. Brasília time.
