Trump Defends DOJ's Powell Probe; Iran Death Toll Jumps

20 snips

Jan 14, 2026

John Tucker, a Bloomberg reporter known for his incisive political and financial coverage, delves into President Trump's dismissal of Jamie Dimon's concerns about the Justice Department's probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Trump plans to announce Powell's replacement soon despite GOP pushback. The discussion shifts to the alarming rise in death tolls from protests in Iran, amid a government crackdown, with Trump urging Iranians to continue their fight. Tucker’s insights shed light on the implications for both domestic and international politics.

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INSIGHT

Probe Threatens Fed Independence

President Trump is pushing ahead with a nomination to replace Jerome Powell despite bipartisan and global pushback over a DOJ probe.
Former Fed chairs and Treasury secretaries warned such investigations threaten central bank independence and resemble emerging-market tactics.

INSIGHT

White House Dismisses Jamie Dimon

Trump dismisses Jamie Dimon’s criticism and calls him wrong for saying the probe undermines Fed independence.
The dispute highlights tension between the White House, big banks, and traditional central bank autonomy.

INSIGHT

U.S. Urges Protests As Iran Toll Rises

President Trump publicly urged Iranians to continue protests and warned Iran of consequences as deaths rose.
Reports put the protest death toll at over 2,500, marking a dramatic escalation and prompting U.S. caution at bases in the region.

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On today's podcast:
1) President Trump dismissed Jamie Dimon’s criticism over the Justice Department probe into the Federal Reserve, saying the JPMorgan Chase & Co. chief executive officer was “wrong” to suggest he was undermining the independence of the central bank. Earlier Tuesday, Dimon expressed concern about the investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell over the cost of the central bank’s headquarters renovation and his subsequent congressional testimony about the project. Trump said he would press ahead with plans to announce Powell’s replacement within “the next few weeks” despite the backlash to the probe, which has drawn criticism from Republican lawmakers — including a threat by Senator Thom Tillis, a retiring North Carolina Republican and swing vote on the Senate Banking Committee. Tillis has said he would block new nominations to the Fed until the matter is resolved.
2) More than 2,500 people have been killed in Iranian protests that have swept the nation, activist groups said, as Tehran continued its crackdown despite President Trump’s threat of action over mounting fatalities. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 2,571 deaths as of Wednesday, up from about 500 at the start of the week and amid speculation the actual toll could be dramatically higher. On Tuesday, Trump urged Iranians to continue protests against the regime of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
3) Top diplomats from Greenland and Denmark are gearing up for the test of a lifetime as they work to persuade the Trump administration to back off on its demands for the Arctic territory that threaten to break up the NATO defense alliance. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his counterpart from Nuuk, Vivian Motzfeldt, will face US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on Wednesday, just hours after the island’s prime minister said that if made to choose, Greenland would opt for Denmark.

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