President Donald Trump may hurl insults at Jerome Powell from afar, but on Thursday, with the Fed chair by his side, he fell mute. During the duo’s awkward tour of the Fed headquarters, a reporter asked Trump, “Do you still think that Jerome Powell is a numbskull?”—a jab he’s lobbed countless times at the Fed chief for refusing to fall in line. With his back already turned, Trump gave the question the cold shoulder and walked off as Powell cast uneasy glances in his direction. Just last week, Trump had boisterously declared, “This guy is a numbskull,” once again slamming the chair— whom he first appointed in 2017—for keeping interest rates steady. In his unsuccessful attempts to pressure Powell, the 79-year-old president has also called him “stupid,” “dummy,” and “knucklehead.” Trump, who on Thursday claimed there was “no tension” between him and Powell during their hard-hatted meeting, despite suggesting he will replace him “in the next eight months or so.” The Daily Beast reached out to the White House for comment.
