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Trump openly grills 'awkward' Powell at Fed Reserve, internet says 'oof, poor Jerome'
Trump and Fed Chair Powell sparred over $3.1B Fed building costs at a presser. Trump joked, “I’d love him to lower interest rates,” sparking viral reactions.
President Donald Trump visited the United States Federal Reserve building in Washington, DC, on Thursday, and was accompanied by Fed Chair Jerome Powell as the duo spoke to the media. In a light-hearted moment that went viral on social media, Trump, who has been feuding with Powell publicly, patted the 72-year-old on the back and said, "I'd love him to lower the interest rates."
The moment happened as the President and Fed Chair were walking away from the media staging area after a joint press conference on the cost of renovating the Federal Reserve building, around which there has been a lot of controversy, with calls for Powell to be probed about the overruns.
Here's the video:
In the presser, Powell and Trump engaged in a back-and-forth about the costs, with both septuagenarians standing side-by-side and in front of the media and disagreeing. Trump claimed that the renovation of the two Fed buildings has crossed $3.1 billion, but Powell quickly interjected, saying: “I haven’t heard that from anybody.”
Trump said that the figures had just come out, to which Powell replied that he was including the cost of renovating the third Fed building in his estimates.
"You're including the Martin renovation," Powell said. You just added a third building is what that is. That's a third building. It's a building that's being built."
Here's the video:
Also read: Donald Trump targets Fed chair Jerome Powell amid $2.5 billion renovation controversy
Internet Reacts To Trump-Powell Spur
The internet was quick to take notice of the two men - eternal foes on social media over the interest rates debate - and reacted with humor. Most people thought that Donald Trump, with his boisterous and confrontational presence, overpowered an awkward Jerome Powell.
"Look at poor Jerome! I almost feel sorry for him!," one user said.
"Poor Jerome Powell got woke with a “gentle pat”on the back. I didn’t realize the poor man was that frail - almost brought him back to the conscious state,: wrote another.
“Poor Jerome Powell. This is off the chart awkward,” added another.
