Leading central bankers voice full solidarity with U.S. Fed amid Trump pressure

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell attends a press conference in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 30, 2025. The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday kept the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent, though it faces stark pressure and harsh criticism from the Trump administration. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

Leading central bankers stressed the independence of central banks, voicing support for the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) and its chair, Jerome Powell.

FRANKFURT, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- A group of major central bank governors said on Tuesday that they fully support the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) and its chair Jerome Powell, following an escalation in the Trump administration's confrontation with the Fed.

According to a statement published on the European Central Bank's website, the endorsement was signed by 11 major central bank heads and two senior officials from international financial institutions. Signatories include European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, as well as their counterparts from Australia, Denmark, Canada, South Korea, and Brazil, among others.

"The independence of central banks is a cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability in the interest of the citizens that we serve," the central bankers said, adding that it is "critical to preserve that independence, with full respect for the rule of law and democratic accountability."

The European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde speaks during a press conference at the ECB eadquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, June 5, 2025. The ECB on Thursday made another rate cut of 25 basis points and revised its inflation forecast down in its latest staff projection. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

As of press time, the number of signatories had expanded from the initial nine to 13.

Powell, who has been Fed chairman since 2018, is set to see his current term expire in May 2026. Over the past weekend, U.S. federal prosecutors reportedly launched a criminal investigation targeting Powell over the Fed's multi-billion-dollar project to renovate its headquarters.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell for not lowering interest rates and has threatened more than once to replace the Fed chair.

File photo taken on Nov. 2, 2017 shows U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell at a nomination ceremony at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. U.S. Senate confirmed Jerome Powell as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve on Jan. 23, 2018. (XinhuaYin Bogu)

On Monday, three former U.S. Federal Reserve chairs and 10 other former top economic officials from the federal government also criticized the criminal probe targeting Powell, calling it "an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial actions to undermine the Federal Reserve's independence."