WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as “a lousy Fed chairman” and defended the actions of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent involved in a fatal incident in Minnesota, rejecting suggestions of political retaliation.
In an interview with CBS News conducted Tuesday at a Ford assembly plant, Trump dismissed claims that a criminal probe involving Powell amounted to retribution over policy disagreements.
“He’s been a lousy Fed chairman,” Trump said, adding that Powell “was reappointed by Biden” despite not having “earned his stripes.”
Trump accused Powell of keeping interest rates too high and being “too late” to cut them. He also criticized the cost of renovations at Federal Reserve buildings, alleging the project had spiraled far beyond reasonable limits.
“I think I could have done that job for $25 million,” Trump said, claiming the renovations had ballooned into “billions and billions of dollars.” He described Powell as “either corrupt or incompetent.”
When asked how the situation might appear to the public, Trump said, “I can’t help what it looks like,” while pointing to what he described as strong economic performance.
“I’ve created the greatest economy maybe in history,” he said, citing manufacturing growth, job creation, and record stock market levels.
Trump also addressed the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota by an ICE agent, responding to concerns raised by her father, who has been identified as a supporter of the president. Trump defended ICE enforcement actions while expressing sympathy for the victim.
“I would bet you that she, under normal circumstances, was a very solid, wonderful person,” Trump said, while maintaining that her actions during the incident were “pretty tough.”
He blamed illegal immigration on policies under former President Joe Biden and defended ICE agents operating under what he described as challenging conditions.
“We have hundreds of thousands of murderers in our countries, killers,” Trump said. “ICE is trying to get them out.”
Trump said video footage of the incident could be interpreted in different ways and emphasized the pressures faced by immigration enforcement officers.
On the economy, Trump acknowledged that many Americans continue to feel strain from high grocery prices but said inflation had eased significantly since he took office.
“I inherited a mess,” he said. “Now we have the hottest country in the world.”
Trump also defended his approach to manufacturing and labor policy, pointing to the expansion of U.S. auto plants and arguing that worker shortages are a sign of economic strength. He said robotics will play an increasingly important role in industry.
“I think that robotics is gonna be great because this country won’t have enough people if we don’t have it,” he said.
Asked about limits on his power, Trump said his actions are guided by morality and constrained by the Constitution.
“I’m a moral person,” he said. “I don’t like seeing death.” (Source: IANS)
