President Donald Trump swore in Kevin Warsh as the 17th Chair of the Federal Reserve on Friday, May 22, 2026 [1].
The appointment marks a significant shift in leadership at the U.S. central bank. Because the chair controls monetary policy and interest rates, the transition from Jerome Powell to a hand-picked successor allows the administration to align the Fed's direction with its economic goals [4].
The ceremony took place at the White House in Washington, D.C. [2, 3]. The Trump administration said the event was scheduled for Friday following an announcement made on Thursday [5].
This venue choice is historically unusual for the position. The last time a new Federal Reserve chair was sworn in at the White House was in 1987 for Alan Greenspan [6].
Warsh takes over the role with immediate responsibility for navigating current policy challenges [1]. The transition follows a period of leadership under Powell, and the administration sought a leader capable of shaping monetary policy according to the president's vision [4].
Warsh is now tasked with managing the balance between inflation control, and economic growth. As the 17th person to hold this office, he enters the role during a period of intense scrutiny regarding the independence of the central bank and its relationship with the executive branch [1, 3].
“The last new Fed chair sworn in at the White House was Alan Greenspan in 1987.”
The decision to hold the swearing-in ceremony at the White House, rather than the Federal Reserve headquarters, symbolically emphasizes the president's influence over the appointment. By installing a preferred choice like Warsh, the administration may seek more direct alignment between federal monetary policy and executive economic priorities, potentially challenging the traditional norms of central bank independence.
