Top Trump econ adviser says White House is studying ways to fire Powell

President Trump’s top economic adviser told reporters Friday the White House is exploring how to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell despite the legal guardrails on his position.

Kevin Hassett, chair of the White House National Economic Council, backed away from his previous concerns about Powell’s firing and said the White House was looking for ways to replace the Fed chief.

“The president and his team will continue to study” if Powell can be fired, Hassett told reporters at the White House.

Hassett served as the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers during Trump’s first term, during which the president frequently criticized and threatened to fire Powell.

Trump’s anger with Powell reignited this week after months of the president becoming increasingly critical of the Fed chief.

Trump blasted Powell in a Thursday morning social media post for refusing to cut interest rates, saying he couldn’t wait for the Fed chair’s “termination.” His criticism came a day after Powell warned that Trump’s tariffs could cause economic growth to stall while inflation increases — a dynamic known as “stagflation” — which would likely keep the Fed from being able to cut rates.

The president escalated his attacks Thursday afternoon, insisting Powell would leave if he attempted to fire him.

A 90-year-old Supreme Court precedent likely protects Powell from being fired by the president for anything other than misconduct or severe neglect of office. And Powell has repeatedly insisted he cannot legally be fired and would refuse to leave until the end of his term.

During Trump’s first term, Hassett declared Powell “100 percent safe,” even as the president raged against the Fed chief — a lifelong Republican whom Trump himself appointed to the job — for refusing to cut interest rates.

Hassett recounted in his 2021 memoir that he and other Trump advisers warned the president that firing Powell may not actually be possible and would likely crash financial markets regardless of its legality.

When pressed on that opinion Friday, Hassett said “the market was in a completely different place” at that time, and his comments were limited to the first Trump White House’s legal analysis.

Hassett also took shots at Powell’s leadership of the Fed and the bank generally, accusing them of orchestrating an interest rate increase as soon as Trump took office.

“I’d like to think of the policy rather than the personality. And the policy of this Federal Reserve was to raise rates the minute President Trump took office last time,” Hassett said.

The Fed hiked interest rates in December 2016 under former Fed Chair Janet Yellen, one month before Trump took office and a year after its most recent interest rate hike. At the time, Powell was a member of the Fed’s board of governors.

The Fed hiked rates three more times under Yellen as it braced for inflation that never materialized. Powell was confirmed as Fed chair in February 2018 and presided over four rate hikes, three of which were reversed the following year.

Hassett also claimed Powell has expressed inconsistent alarm about federal spending and debt under Trump and former President Biden.

“Having everybody that refused to warn about the runaway spending out there, saying, ‘Oh, this is going to be a catastrophe for inflation because of the tariffs,’ means that people need to improve their models and improve their messaging,” Hassett said.

Powell, however, has warned under both Trump and Biden that the U.S. was on an “unsustainable” fiscal path and needed to pay down its debt.

https://thehill.com/business/5256173-trump-exploring-firing-fed-chair/amp/

List of cities hosting anti Trump protests tomorrow, organized by 50501 group

A wave of protests is set to sweep across all 50 states on Saturday, April 19, organized by the grassroots group 50501 in opposition to President Donald Trump's policies and executive actions since returning to office in January. Organizers cite concerns over civil liberties, judicial independence and what they describe as authoritarian overreach.

The 50501 name is short for "50 protests, 50 states, one day." The group, known for organizing protests like "Not My Presidents Day" in February and the global "Hands Off" demonstrations on April 5, has quickly become a fixture in the national resistance to Trump's administration. April 19 is expected to span the entire country, with events planned in hundreds of cities across the U.S. and internationally.

Why It Matters

Since retaking office, President Trump has signed a series of executive orders aimed at reshaping the federal government, rolling back environmental protections, limiting press access and pushing aggressive immigration enforcement measures. Critics have also raised alarms over his challenges to judicial rulings and his statements questioning the legitimacy of the electoral process.

50501 organizers say these policies are driving public concern about the future of American democracy.

What To Know

For the upcoming April 19 protest, organizers want to see an even bigger turnout than ever before. In social media posts, the group stated that they want 3.5 percent of the U.S. population—more than 11 million people—to participate. They cite this figure as the threshold for "sustained resistance in order to make a difference."

50501 said the April 19 demonstration will be to protest against what it describes as a "hostile government takeover" by the Trump administration.

Hunter Dunn, national press coordinator for the organization, told Newsweek that the day is less about protesting and more about raising awareness on myriad issues.

"The 50501 movement has called for a National Day of Action, also known as a National Day of Community Action, not a National Day of Protest," Dunn said. "There are plenty of demonstrations happening around the country as part of the day of action, but the primary focus of the day of action is speaking to the needs of your community."

Dunn added: "In Southern California, this may look like a mutual aid drive to help people who are still suffering from the consequences of the devastating wildfires. In other places, this may look like a demonstration against [Immigration and Customs Enforcement's] fascistic mass deportation plan (for example, New York City's march). The goal here is community impact, not attendee numbers."

We (the People) Dissent, a 50501 affiliate, has listed more than 525 broader events taking place April 19 that are part of the anti-Trump movement.

Anti-Trump Protest Locations on April 19

From big cities to small towns, more than 400 protests are scheduled nationwide, according to 50501's website. Some of these protests are rallies, others are in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 1775. Some protests are also in support of science and are hosting food drives.

Here's a look at one event happening in each state, though gatherers should know many states are hosting multiple protests in various cities. For a full list of events, visit the movement's website.

Montgomery, Alabama: 10 a.m. at 105 South Court St.

Fairbanks, Alaska: 11.30 a.m. at 800 Cushman St.

Tucson, Arizona: 8.45 a.m. at 900 S Randolph Way

Little Rock, Arkansas: 11 a.m. at 500 Woodlane St.

Eureka, California: noon at 825 5th St.

Denver Colorado: noon at 200 E. Colfax Ave.

New London, Connecticut: 10 a.m. at 70 Huntington St.

Miami, Florida: 10 a.m. at 301 Biscayne Blvd.

Atlanta, Georgia: noon at 10th St. 10th St. Rainbow Crosswalks

Maui, Hawaii: 4 p.m. at 310 W Ka'ahumanu Ave.

Twin Falls, Idaho: noon at 1159 Addison Ave. East

Wichita, Kansas: noon at 100 N. Broadway

Lexington, Kentucky: 2 p.m. at 120 North Limestone

Idaho Falls, Idaho: 4 p.m. at 755 Memorial Drive

Quincy, Illinois: 10 a.m. at 202 N 5th St.

Nashville, Indiana: 11 a.m. at 20 E. Main St.

Le Mars, Iowa: 2 p.m. at 215 Fourth Ave. SE

Boothbay, Maine: noon at 1 Common Drive

Boston, Massachusetts: noon at 24 Beacon St.

La Plata, Maryland: 10 a.m. at 200 Charles St.

Detroit, Michigan: noon. at Hart Plaza

St. Cloud, Minnesota: noon at 1300 W. Saint Germain St.

Kansas City, Missouri: 11 a.m. at W. 47th St. and Mill Creek Parkway

Hattiesburg, Mississippi: noon at 399 W. Pine St.

Great Falls, Montana: noon at 125 Central Ave. W.

Las Vegas, Nevada: 4 p.m. at 100 Plaza Park

Keene, New Hampshire: noon at Central Square

Lawrence Township, New Jersey: noon at 100 Dave Nevius Way

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico: 11 a.m. at 151 E. Riverside Drive

Potsdam, New York: 11 a.m. at Main Street near Ives Park

Rutherford County, North Carolina: 10 a.m. at the intersection of Church and Main Street

Cleveland, Ohio: 4 p.m. at Cleveland Square

Tulsa, Oklahoma: 3 p.m at 7021 S. Memorial Drive

Corvallis, Oregon: noon at 120 NW 4th St.

Easton, Pennsylvania: 10.30 a.m. at 2151 Emrick Blvd.

Providence, Rhode Island: 10 a.m. at 82 Smith St.

Charleston, South Carolina: 9.30 a.m. at 180 Lockwood Drive

Pierre, South Dakota: 1 p.m. at 500 E. Capitol Ave.

Nashville, Tennessee: noon at 2500 W. End Ave.

Galveston, Texas: 10 a.m. at 2228 28th St.

Park City, Utah: noon at Sullivan Road

Rockingham, Vermont: noon at 2 Church St.

Woodstock, Virginia: 9 a.m. at West Reservoir Road

Spokane, Washington: 11 a.m. at 1208 E. Mission Ave.

Washington D.C.: noon at 34th St NW and Massachusetts Ave. NW

Lewisburg, West Virginia: 12.30 p.m. at West Washington Street

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin: 11 a.m. at S. Neenah Ave.

Cheyenne, Wyoming: noon at 200 W. 24th St.

At the time of publication, four states did not yet have protests listed on 50501's website: Delaware, Louisiana, Nebraska and North Carolina. There's also been some international anti-Trump protests planned for April 19, including:

Dublin, Ireland: noon at the Embassy of the United States of America

Lisbon, Portugal: 2 p.m. at Alameda Cardeal Cerejeira

50501 Organizers Celebrate Past Protests, Look Ahead to 2025

In Massachusetts, local organizers told Newsweek that numbers will likely be down across the state because of other annual events taking place—for example, the 129th Boston Marathon is on Monday, April 21, on the 250th anniversary of Patriots' Day.

"[The Hands Off protest on April 5] absolutely exceeded our expectations," Rebecca Winter, a leadership council member for Mass 50501, told Newsweek. "We had planned for about 25,000 people and then the estimate, once we got all of the drone footage in, was about 100,000 people. So we were thrilled with the turnout."

Winter continued: "It is the largest rally [we ran]. We had no arrests that were protest-related. We barely even had litter to clean up afterwards. It was just a really wonderful event that brought so many people together in solidarity."

Celebrating the American Revolution and fighting against tyranny is why people continue to come to events and voice their feelings, Winter added.

"This is really about mobilization because that is the main goal of protests, to raise awareness and mobilize people to be more active in what's going on in the demolishment of our Constitution in this country," she said. "Our first rally was 300 people. The event grew into the thousands, and then April 5 we found 100,000 people.

"But protesting isn't the only tool that we want to use in order to fight authoritarianism," Winter said. "We're looking at plenty of other peaceful legal means, such as teachings students, more town halls, just ways to educate people, and then also continuing to express to our legislators how we feel and what policies we would like to see enacted."

What People Are Saying

The 50501 Movement posted to its Instagram account on April 15: "Coming off a historic day where an estimated 5.2 million of you all showed up to join us to declare that We the People reject the Trump/Musk administration's war on our freedoms and future the 50501 movement has declared Saturday, April 19th a nationwide day of action! There will be plenty of protests across the country being supported by 50501 and we encourage you to check our social platforms and search places like mobilize.us and events.pol-rev.com for events near you!"

What's Next

Protests on April 19 will begin in the morning in most cities, featuring rallies, marches and speeches focused on defending democratic norms and pushing back against what protesters view as President Trump's authoritarian agenda.

https://www.newsweek.com/anti-trump-protest-locations-list-map-april-19-50501-2059609

Daily Caller

@DailyCaller

🚨WATCH🚨: The Daily Caller News Foundation visited two southern Virginia properties at the center of fraud and misconduct claims made against Tish James and found that she does NOT appear to be a resident of either home.

https://x.com/DailyCaller/status/1912681235345793417

>>22930936

ALX 🇺🇸

@alx

BREAKING: New York Attorney General Letitia James responds to evidence of mortgage fraud: “Let me just say to all New Yorkers and to all Americans: the allegations are baseless. The allegations are nothing more than a revenge tour” and says “no one is above the law” about Trump.

https://x.com/alx/status/1913092685436453301

Trump Appoints Fox News Host Mark Levin as Homeland Security Advisory Council to Yell at Inept Employees

President Trump has tapped another Fox News personality, Mark Levin, for a White House post.

Levin will serve on the “revamped” Homeland Security Advisory Council, led by Kristi Noem, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Trump announced Thursday. In addition to Levin, members of the new committee are South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, conservative commentator and former Fox News contributor Bo Dietl, and Republican National Committee treasurer Joseph Gruters.

“I am proud to announce the formation of my revamped Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), which is comprised of Top Experts in their field, who are highly respected by their peers,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Under Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s leadership, HSAC will work hard on developing new Policies and Strategies that will help us secure our Border, deport Illegal Criminal Thugs, stop the flow of Fentanyl and other illegal drugs that are killing our Citizens, and MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Congratulations to all!”

Levin, quoting Trump’s post, wrote on X, “What an honor! Thank you, Mr. President!”

According to Fox News, Levin’s “Life, Liberty & Levin,” which airs Saturdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET, “explores the fundamental values and principles undergirding American society, culture, politics, and current events, and their relevance to the nation’s future and everyday lives of citizens.” He first joined the network in 2017.

Reached by Variety, a Fox News spokesperson did not immediately comment on whether there would be any changes to “Life, Liberty & Levin” with Levin’s Homeland Security council appointment.

Levin is also the host of the U.S.’s third-largest nationally syndicated radio program, “The Mark Levin Show,” which airs on more than 300 stations. His latest book is “The Democrat Party Hates America,” first published by Simon & Schuster’s Threshold Editions imprint in September 2023.

Levin served in the Reagan administration and was chief of staff for Attorney General Ed Meese. He worked as an associate director of presidential personnel, deputy solicitor of the Department of Interior and deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Education, among other positions.

Other former Fox personalities that have joined the Trump administration include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was previously a Fox Business host and cast member on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston” in the late ’90s.

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/trump-fox-news-mark-levin-homeland-security-council-1236372516/