Senate confirms Kevin Warsh as next Fed chair, replacing Jerome Powell

The Senate confirmed former finance executive and former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh as the U.S. central bank’s new chair on May 13, elevating him to a role that will make him one of the most influential economic policymakers in the world.

The Senate voted 54-45 to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, was the only Democrat to join Republicans voting in favor of Warsh's nomination. In a similarly split vote, the Senate confirmed Warsh to a new 14-year term on the Fed’s Board of Governors the day prior.

Warsh's confirmation comes amid concerns about the central bank’s independence, given Trump’s consistent browbeating of his former nominee and soon-to-be-former Fed chair Jerome Powell, as well as legal cases that have raised further questions about the institution’s autonomy from politics.

Warsh, 56, previously served on the Fed’s Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011 and will rejoin the central bank at a time when Federal Open Market Committee members are somewhat divided on the best path forward for rates. Rising inflation stemming from the Iran war and a low-hire environment in the job market outside certain sectors like health care pose risks to both sides of the Fed’s mission – keeping prices stable and employment high.

Driving consensus on the rate-setting committee will be one of Warsh's goals as chair, though he "seems less concerned about inflation persistence than many current Fed officials," according to Christian Floro, a market strategist at Principal Asset Management.

He said Warsh appears more supportive of lower rates today than markets may remember him being in the years following the 2008 financial crisis, adding his focus on AI-driven productivity gains and calls for a new inflation framework suggest he may be more open to "looking through" temporary price shocks.

“The perception challenge for Warsh may prove just as important as the policy challenge," Floro said in a note to USA TODAY. "Because the administration has been vocal about wanting lower rates, any dovish pivot risks intensifying scrutiny around Fed independence.”

Throughout his confirmation hearing April 21, Warsh said he believes central bank independence is important, but added it “has to be earned,” suggesting the it has fallen short in doing so in recent years. He said the Fed "missed its mark" in ensuring price stability for everyday Americans during and following the COVID-19 pandemic when inflation hit a 40-year high.

Despite Trump’s persistent calls for lower borrowing costs, Warsh said the president never asked him to pre-commit to rate cuts and that he would never agree to do so.

Rates are set by 12 voting members of the FOMC, and although Warsh will serve as chair, he will have just one vote. If he believes cuts are warranted, he’ll need to convince a majority of his colleagues on the committee, including Powell, who said he plans to stay on as a Fed governor “for a period of time to be determined." Powell's term on the board does not officially end until January 2028.

At his final news conference following the committee’s April 29 decision to leave the federal funds rate unchanged at a range of 3.5% to 3.75%, Powell congratulated Warsh and said he plans to "keep a low profile" as governor. 

"There is only ever one chair of the Federal Reserve Board," Powell said. "When Kevin Warsh is confirmed and sworn in, he will be that chair. Once sworn in as board chair, his new colleagues will elect him to chair the FOMC as well."

During his four-year term as chair, Warsh is expected to push for reforms at the Fed. In his Senate confirmation hearing on April 21, he told lawmakers the Fed needs new tools and a new communication style that is less focused on forward guidance.

Floro said given Warsh's calls for a smaller Fed balance sheet, reducing it may be one area where investors could see "a meaningful philosophical break from the Powell era." He added that under a Warsh Fed, markets may see a steeper yield curve, with front-end rates falling and long-end yields rising.

“The biggest shift may ultimately be less about where rates go next and more about how the Fed operates, communicates and manages its balance sheet," Floro said.

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