Bannon wanted Trump to keep Yellen as Fed chair: report

Former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon wanted President Trump to reappoint former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, according to a new preface of the book “Devil’s Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Nationalist Uprising,” cited by Bloomberg.

“The Breitbart posse is in love with Janet Yellen. If we get behind her, that is the signal of signals — the realignment of American politics,” Bannon told the book’s author, Joshua Green, adding “Yellen’s my girl.”

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Bannon reportedly mulled pushing Trump to keep Yellen as Fed chair after he departed the White House in August of last year. The former chief strategist had expressed concerns that a more hawkish Fed chairman could hinder economic growth.

But Bannon ultimately did not push for Yellen and Trump went in a different direction.

Trump appointed Republican Jerome Powell, who was sworn in earlier this month, to lead the U.S. central banking system.

Powell is expected to be more attuned to the impact of the Fed’s policies on the financial markets than a traditional Fed chair.

Yellen told PBS in an exit interview that she was disappointed not to have been reappointed.

“I would have liked to serve an additional term and I did make that clear, so I will say I was disappointed not to be reappointed,” she said.