In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee warned that ongoing trade policy at the hands of Trump's constant tariff threats could hamper the ability of the Fed to deliver interest rate cuts that both the broader market and Donald Trump himself want to see.

The U.S. central bank’s decision to hold interest rates steady in June was unanimously supported, but officials were starting to splinter over the path forward.

The latest round of tariff threats from President Trump could spark fresh concerns about inflation, which might force the Federal Reserve to maintain its wait-and-see posture on interest-rate cuts, sa

Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller said on Thursday said he favors cutting the Fed's policy rate in July. He also discussed the Fed's balance sheet and why it should continue to pay interest on bank reserves.

The right to freedom of speech allows Trump to make demands of the Fed to his heart's content. But legally, he cannot compel the central bank to lower its benchmark interest rate. The Fed has the right to act independently, and its aim is to promote a healthy and stable economy by keeping inflation in check.

Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller said Thursday that the central bank should consider cutting interest rates at its July meeting, even after a strong June jobs report.

That’s because there’s no consistent pattern to how the stock market reacts to Fed rate cuts. Sometimes the market will rally in the wake of a cut and sometimes not. Its response is no different than the stock market’s long-term average.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has sketched out new conditions that could trigger rate cuts by summer’s end, but inflation remains a big question.

Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller reiterated Thursday that he believes the Fed could consider cutting rates later this month because any inflation from tariffs will be temporary, underscoring a new divide within the central bank.

Federal Reserve officials diverged at their June meeting about how aggressively they would be willing to cut interest rates.

Only "a couple" of officials at the Federal Reserve's June 17-18 meeting said they felt interest rates could be reduced as soon as this month, with most policymakers remaining worried about the inflationary pressure they expect to come from President Donald Trump's use of tariffs to reshape global trade.