Former President Donald Trump stated that his nominee could potentially drive economic growth to 15% or more—a highly ambitious goal that underscores the significant challenges Kevin Warsh would face if confirmed for the position. Trump remarked that if Warsh "does what he can do," then "I think we can hit 15% or more." He added, "I think he would be terrific, and he's a high-quality person." The specific metric Trump referred to—whether it is a year-over-year increase or another measure—remains unclear. The U.S. economy is projected to grow 2.4% this year, while the average annual growth rate over the past 50 years has been approximately 2.8%. Historically, since the 1950s, U.S. GDP has only exceeded 15% growth in a few quarters, most notably in the third quarter of 2020, when businesses resumed operations after pandemic-related shutdowns, leading to a sharp rebound. During his search for a new Federal Reserve chair, Trump publicly expressed his desire for a candidate who would lower interest rates, later clarifying that "if Warsh wanted to raise rates, I wouldn’t even consider him." These comments reveal Trump's strategic bet that Warsh, if appointed, could provide a significant economic boost ahead of the midterm elections, which are widely seen as a critical test of a U.S. president's effectiveness. This intertwining of political and economic objectives places Warsh in a delicate position. Trump's remarks also indicate an unusually relaxed stance toward inflation. Typically, when economic growth approaches the unconventional range of 15%, inflation tends to surge and remain persistently high. However, Trump does not appear to share the usual concerns of policymakers. It is worth noting that Fed officials, in their latest economic projections released in December, initially signaled only one rate cut in 2026, though market participants still widely expect two rate cuts this year. Trump noted that in the previous Fed chair selection process, Kevin Warsh was his "second choice," and that the eventual appointment of Jerome Powell was "a big mistake." In a preview of an interview aired Monday, Trump pointed out that it was former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's strong advocacy that led to Powell's nomination. Speaking of Powell, Trump said, "My Treasury secretary really wanted him, really wanted him. And I wasn’t feeling it so strongly, but sometimes you listen to people, and it turned out to be a mistake, a big mistake." The full interview is set to air on Tuesday. Powell was renominated under President Joe Biden but has since become a target of Trump's criticism. Trump has aggressively pushed for lower interest rates and, breaking with decades of precedent, has questioned the Federal Reserve's independence. This political pressure could delay Warsh's confirmation process—Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina has publicly stated that he will block any Fed nominations as long as the Trump administration continues to investigate Powell.