Trump Calls For Lower Rates, Says Powell Is 'Hurting Our National Security' – Gold And Silver Reply

Group 1 - President Trump is pressuring the Federal Reserve for immediate rate cuts, claiming that Chair Jerome Powell is harming the U.S. economy and national security by maintaining high borrowing costs [1][2] - Trump argues that the U.S. economy's strength, bolstered by tariff revenues, justifies lower interest rates, suggesting the U.S. should have the lowest rates globally [2] - The Federal Reserve held rates steady at 3.5%–3.75% and indicated no immediate plans to ease policy further, emphasizing a data-dependent approach to future decisions [2][3] Group 2 - Powell defended the Fed's independence from political pressure and stated that the central bank is "well positioned" after three rate cuts since September [3] - He downplayed the significance of rising precious metal prices, asserting that they do not reflect a loss of Fed credibility and that inflation expectations remain stable [4] - Gold prices surged 2.2% to a record above $5,530 per ounce, marking an increase of approximately 28% for the month, indicating the strongest monthly performance since January 1973 [5]