Fed Chair Says Trump’s Tariffs Will Likely Lead to Higher Unemployment and Inflation

“The level of tariff increases announced so far is significantly larger than anticipated, and the same is likely to be true of the economic effects,” Jerome Powell said.

Jerome Powell
Powell has faced pressure from Trump. Sha Hanting/China News Service/VCG/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned of a potential rise in inflation following President Donald Trump’s tariffs and declining consumer sentiment.

“The administration is, as I mentioned in my remarks, implementing significant policy changes, and particularly trade now is the focus, and the effects of that are likely to move us away from our goals,” Powell said in his first remarks since Trump paused most of the steep tariffs.

Speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday, Powell said the economy was still in a “solid position,” but unemployment and inflation were “likely to go up as tariffs find their way and some part of those tariffs come to be paid by the public.”