Trump Blasts Latest Wall Street Journal Story on Powell and Treasury Secretary Bessent
President Trump pushed back sharply on Sunday against a new Wall Street Journal report claiming that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attempted to dissuade him from removing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
The Journal’s story comes amid heightened market jitters over Trump’s repeated public criticisms of Powell and speculation that he may attempt to fire him over the Fed’s interest rate policies. Legal experts widely agree that the president lacks the unilateral authority to dismiss the central bank chief, a move that would likely spark political and financial turmoil.
Trump, who is currently suing the Journal over a separate article involving his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, took to Truth Social to deny the latest report.
“The Wall Street Journal ran a typically untruthful story today by saying that Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, explained to me that firing Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell, the Worst Federal Reserve Chairman in History, would be bad for the Market,” Trump wrote.
“Nobody had to explain that to me,” he added. “I know better than anybody what’s good for the Market, and what’s good for the U.S.A. If it weren’t for me, the Market wouldn’t be at Record Highs right now—it probably would have CRASHED! So, get your information CORRECT. People don’t explain to me—I explain to them!”
The Federal Reserve declined to comment on the report, saying it had “nothing to share.”
Trump’s fury at the financial publication comes just days after he filed a defamation lawsuit against the Journal over a separate story it published about a 2003 birthday letter allegedly sent by Trump to Epstein. According to the article, the note—reportedly typed inside the outline of a nude woman—included a line that read: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
In the legal complaint, Trump’s team claimed the story inflicted “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” and demanded substantial damages. The suit argued the piece was a deliberate attempt to “malign President Trump’s character and integrity.”
Meanwhile, the White House continues to face mounting calls for transparency around the now-closed Epstein investigation. Although the administration recently reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide and denied the existence of a “client list,” skepticism persists—fueling pressure even among Trump’s own supporters for the release of all related records.
Trump’s legal and political battles with the Journal come at a time when the president is aggressively asserting control over both the economic narrative and media coverage heading into a crucial election year. Whether the feud will escalate further—or result in courtroom revelations—remains to be seen.
