Theatrical Politics and the Federal Reserve's Future

Sam Stein and Ben Parker discuss a tense, awkward exchange between Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell during a staged visit about supposed cost overruns at the Fed's renovation project. Trump, clearly aiming to pressure Powell into resigning or create grounds to fire him, was directly fact-checked by Powell in real-time.

They highlight this unusual public clash, criticizing Trump's manufactured outrage and praising Powell's willingness to push back, suggesting the entire episode is political theater designed by Trump to control the Federal Reserve.