Christopher Waller, a Federal Reserve Board member and a candidate to be the next Federal Reserve (Fed) chair, said he would make sure to stress to President Donald Trump that the independence of the Central Bank is important.
According to CNBC on the 17th (local time), when asked in an interview with CNBC whether he would emphasize the Fed's independence in his meeting with the president, Waller answered, "Of course."
Waller also said at the Yale CEO Summit, "I have studied the independence of the Central Bank and its importance for 20 years," adding, "There is a vast record on this subject."
Waller is viewed within the Fed as a "dove (favoring accommodative monetary policy)." When the Fed held its benchmark rate in July, he was also known to have submitted a minority view for a cut.
In the interview with CNBC the same day, Waller also said, "There is still room to lower rates further." While the job market is weak, there are no factors for inflation to reaccelerate, Waller said. He also argued that regarding tariffs, often cited as a cause of price pressures, there would be "only a one-off effect."
With Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's term ending in May 2026, Waller is cited as one of five finalists. He is scheduled to meet with President Trump this week. Markets expect President Trump to announce a nominee for the next Fed chair in early January 2026.
Waller was also selected as the most preferred candidate by economists in a survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in October. However, unlike other Fed chair candidates such as National Economic Council (NEC) Chairperson Kevin Hassett at the White House and former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, some observers say it may be difficult for him to make the final list because he does not have a personal relationship with President Trump.