Warsh-led Fed holds rates steady, as inflation rules out easing sought by Trump

Published June 17, 2026 2:01pm ET | Updated June 17, 2026 3:46pm ET



The Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to hold its interest rate target steady following the first meeting for new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, meaning that President Donald Trump’s long-expressed desire for the central bank to lower interest rates will be unfulfilled for now.

After a two-day meeting in Washington, the Fed’s monetary policy committee announced it would hold its rate target at a range of 3.50% to 3.75%. Investors expected that outcome, as the country grapples with too-high inflation and higher energy costs stemming from the Iran war.

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