The Financial Times said: Trump will begin interviewing the final candidate for Fed chairman this week

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has submitted 4 names to the White House, with the list allegedly including former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh and popular candidate Kevin Hassett.

Article by Brian Quarmby

Article source: Cointelegraph

Article compilation: Chang

The race for the new US Federal Reserve chairman has entered a sprint phase, and US President Donald Trump is said to begin interviewing the final candidate for the position this week.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has submitted a list of 4 names to the White House, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

One of them is former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh, whom Bessent is scheduled to meet on Wednesday. Another is Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, who is seen as a favorite for the position.

Two others will be selected from a list of other finalists, including Fed Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, as well as BlackRock Chief Investment Officer Rick Rieder.

Trump and Bessent are expected to have at least one interview next week, and the decision is likely to be announced in January.

However, Trump revealed that he is already optimistic about a particular candidate.

“We’re going to consider a few different candidates, but I have a fairly clear idea of who I want,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday.

Kevin Hassett is the frontrunner for the Fed chairmanship

The upcoming new round of interviews shows that despite being seen as the favorite, Hassett may not be as sure of winning as previously thought.

Earlier this month, after Trump’s comments at the White House on December 2, odds for Hassett in Kalshi and Polymarket’s prediction markets skyrocketed significantly.

In welcoming guests, Trump referred to Hassett as a “potential Fed chair,” leading many to believe that the president had revealed a major hint.

Hassett’s odds soared to 85% after Trump’s comments last week and have since fallen back to about 73%; At the time of writing, Warsh on Kalshi is at odds of 13% and has been fluctuating around this range throughout December.

Regardless of who ultimately takes over the chairmanship, this change is bound to affect the crypto market under the new leadership.

If elected, Hassett insists he will remain politically free when managing the Fed. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal this week, Hassett said that when asked if he would blindly follow Trump’s instructions, he said, “You just have to do the right thing.”

“Let’s say inflation goes from saying 2.5% to 4%. Then interest rates cannot be cut,” he added, adding that he will rely on his own judgment when making decisions.