Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered support for Jerome Powell amid regular attacks from Trump administration officials, saying he sees no reason for the Federal Reserve chair to step down.

There have been no indications from Powell that he plans to step down despite a barrage of criticism from the Trump administration.

Amid tensions with the White House, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent backed Fed Chair Jerome Powell, saying there's no need for him to step down before his term ends in May. However, Bessent suggested Powell has a chance to cement his legacy by reforming the Fed’s non-monetary functions.

The Federal Reserve’s independence from political interference, viewed as sacrosanct inside the central bank, is under siege.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that a “formal process” to find a successor for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has already started — as the Trump administration ratchets up pressure for the top central banker to step aside before his term ends.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Federal Reserve's vital independence on monetary policy is threatened by its "mandate creep" into non-policy areas and he called on the U.S. central bank to conduct an exhaustive review of those operations.

What we need to do is examine the entire Federal Reserve institution and whether they have been successful,” Bessent told CNBC on Monday. Bessent’s comments come as Donald Trump and his lieutenants have sharply criticised the Fed and its chair Jay Powell for refraining to cut borrowing costs this year.