Trump Praises Hassett, but Casts Doubt on Making Him Fed Chair NYT | Top Stories Colby Smith and Tony Romm 17 January 2026 at 01:39 The blowback set off by the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the central bank, has shaken up the race to replace him. © Haiyun Jiang/The New York TimesKevin A. Hassett serves as the director of the White House National Economic Council.