Trump Renews Attacks on Fed, Threatens to Halt Trade Over Interest Rates

President Donald Trump has once again attacked the Federal Reserve after it raised interest rates for the first time in three years. Speaking to reporters, Trump criticized the Fed's decision, calling its members 'a bunch of politicians' and saying they are doing the 'wrong thing'. He also revived his earlier threat to halt trade with countries that have a trade deficit with the US unless the Fed cuts interest rates.

The president expressed frustration with the Fed's unanimous vote to raise rates by 0.25% and claimed that he had told Kevin Warsh, the new Fed chair, that it was pointless to vote against the board because they would not be swayed. Trump has been critical of the Fed for months, repeatedly calling for rate cuts and claiming that higher interest rates are hurting the economy.

In a speech later in North Carolina, Trump doubled down on his attacks, saying 'we'd make a trillion and a half dollars a year' if they stopped trading with certain countries. He also claimed that the US could pay off its debt with a single stroke of the pen, but has not chosen to do so.