President Trump stated that Kevin Warsh would not have received the nomination for Federal Reserve Chair if he had previously expressed a desire to raise interest rates. "If he had come in and said, 'I want to raise [rates],' then he wouldn't have gotten the job, no," Trump remarked during an interview on Wednesday. Trump indicated that a Federal Reserve rate cut holds "not much" suspense because "our rates are too high," but he added that the country is "once again a wealthy nation." When questioned whether Warsh understands the President's desire for him to lower the benchmark interest rate, Trump responded, "I think he understands, but I believe he wanted to do it anyway." These comments from Trump are likely to be referenced during Warsh's confirmation process, where the Fed's independence is expected to be a central issue. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of the Senate Banking Committee has already vowed to block any of Trump's nominees to the Fed until the Justice Department concludes its investigation into the renovation of the Fed's headquarters. The outgoing Chair, Powell, has characterized this investigation as a thinly veiled attack on the Fed's independent ability to set monetary policy. Officials from the Trump administration have denied this, yet Trump himself has been pressuring Powell for months to cut rates. Warsh, a former Federal Reserve Governor once known as an inflation hawk, has recently voiced his support for lowering interest rates.