When it comes to what Americans can afford, no institution looms larger than the Federal Reserve.
The nation’s central bank doesn’t set the price of groceries, cars or homes directly. But it does influence how expensive it is to borrow money – and that can make a significant difference in what families pay each month.
Right now, borrowing is costly. High interest rates mean larger monthly payments on mortgages, car loans and credit cards, even if the price of a home or vehicle hasn’t changed.
For many Americans, that is why life can still feel unaffordable even as inflation has cooled. Prices may not be rising as quickly, but financing big purchases remains expensive.
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That strain is especially visible in the housing and auto markets, two of the biggest expenses for most households. A home or car may cost about the same as it did a year ago, but the loan attached to it can add hundreds of dollars to the monthly bill. In many cases, consumers are paying more not because the asset itself has become pricier, but because borrowing has.
That backdrop has become a political liability for President Donald Trump, who campaigned on restoring affordability and easing household financial strain but now faces growing voter skepticism over whether that relief is materializing ahead of the midterm election cycle.
The issue is set to take center stage Tuesday, when Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to lead the Fed, faces a Senate confirmation hearing.
Adding to the uncertainty, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has signaled he may not support Warsh’s nomination in committee unless the Justice Department drops its investigation into Chairman Jerome Powell.
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Warsh’s potential ascent would come at a turbulent time for the institution. The pressure is coming from multiple fronts: the Justice Department is conducting a criminal probe involving Powell, the Supreme Court is weighing limits on the Fed’s independence and rising costs are testing Trump’s affordability pledge – intensifying the stakes for the next chair.
Taken together, what began as tension over interest-rate policy has since broadened into a wider confrontation, marking one of the most challenging stretches of Powell’s tenure leading the Fed.
Trump has repeatedly pushed for lower interest rates, blaming Powell for not cutting more aggressively even as he continues to tout a strong economy. Powell is set to complete his term next month after eight years at the helm of the central bank.
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If Trump was already eager for a rate cut, tensions with Iran may further complicate the picture. Rising oil prices have revived inflation concerns, potentially giving Fed officials another reason to remain cautious.
If the conflict with Iran drags on and energy costs stay elevated, it could cloud the outlook for future cuts – potentially limiting how quickly Warsh could move to lower interest rates and prolonging the stretch of high borrowing costs that has kept pressure on household budgets.