'Numbskull, moron and too stupid': Trump and Powell's biggest clashes

donald trump has called jerome powell a "numbskull", "moron" and "too stupid" — the latest in a long line of insults between the president and the fed chair. it's one of the most fractious relationships between a us president and a central banker in history. trump appointed powell in november 2017, calling him "strong", "committed" and "smart". but since returning to the white house, he's wanted faster rate cuts. the fed cut rates three times in 2025 but held off as it watched the effect of trump's tariffs on inflation. trump christened powell "too late" last april, saying his "termination cannot come fast enough". the tension went personal. during a visit to fed building renovations, trump claimed costs hit $3.1bn — powell said the real figure was $2.7bn and that trump had added a building built five years ago. trump, a former developer, said he'd fire a project manager who went over budget. in january, powell released a video revealing a doj criminal investigation into his senate testimony about the renovations. republican senator thom tillis said he wouldn't support trump's fed chair nominee kevin warsh while the probe continued, calling it a threat to the fed's independence.