Se espera que las tensiones de larga data entre el presidente dent Donald Trump y el presidente de la Reserva Federal, Jay Powell, vuelvan a ocupar un lugar central en 2025, cuando las políticas económicas y la dinámica institucional preparen el escenario para posibles enfrentamientos.
Donald Trump, reelegido en noviembre de 2024, critica frecuentemente a Powell. Esto plantea interrogantes sobre cómo podría evolucionar la relación entre la Casa Blanca y la Reserva Federal durante el próximo año.
A lo largo de 2024, Trump atacó públicamente el liderazgo de Powell, argumentando que el dent debería tener mayor influencia sobre las decisiones de la Reserva Federal. Durante la campaña electoral, Trump afirmó que Powell se había “equivocado mucho” y sugirió que su administración podría reexaminar la independencia de la Reserva Federal.
Después de la reelección de Trump, Powell desestimó enérgicamente los rumores de que sería destituido de su cargo, enfatizando su intención de cumplir su mandato, que expira en mayo de 2026. Sin embargo, incluso si Powell conserva su puesto, los analistas esperan nuevas fricciones entre la administración y la Reserva Federal.
El dent electo ha nombrado al empresario multimillonario Elon Musk y al empresario Vivek Ramaswamy para dirigir el Departamento de Eficiencia Gubernamental (DOGE). El dúo se ha comprometido a reformar el gasto federal y sus planes podrían incluir cambios significativos en la Reserva Federal.
Musk calificó recientemente a la Reserva Federal de “absurdamente con exceso de personal” en su plataforma de redes sociales X, insinuando posibles reducciones de fuerza laboral.
La Reserva Federal tiene un exceso de personal absurdo
- Kekius Maximus (@elonmusk) 23 de diciembre de 2024
According to a report from Yahoo Finance, the Federal Reserve employs approximately 24,000 individuals across the United States, with 86% of its workforce stationed in regional reserve banks.
The headquarters in Washington, D.C., houses about 3,000 employees. Unlike most federal agencies, the Fed operates independently of taxpayer funding, financing itself through revenue generated by government securities.
Despite its independence, critics do not see the Fed’s operational expenses as insignificant. In 2024, its net operating expenses were budgeted at $7.1 billion, roughly 0.1% of the federal government’s total budget. Historically, the Fed has sent excess revenue to the U.S. Treasury, transferring nearly $1 trillion between 2012 and 2021.
Trump recently announced plans to impose steep tariffs: 10% on imports from China and 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada. These measures, aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, are projected to have significant economic repercussions.
EY Chief Economist Gregory Daco warned that the tariffs could lead to stagflation, marked by slower economic growth and higher inflation. He estimates that the tariffs would reduce US GDP by 1.5% in 2025 while increasing inflation by 0.4%. Financial market volatility could also follow, adding pressure to an economy already grappling with persistent inflation.
However, not all experts share Daco’s concerns about inflation. Former St. Louis Fed President Jim Bullard, who served during Trump’s first term, argued that the growth-reducing effects of tariffs might offset any inflationary impacts.
“The detriment to the world economy would outweigh any price effects,” Bullard noted, casting doubt on the notion that tariffs alone would drive inflation higher.
The Federal Reserve’s December 2024 meeting forecasts suggested a cautious path for interest rates. Markets anticipated that the federal funds rate would drop slightly to 3.9% by December 2025, compared to the current target range of 4.25-4.5%.
However, these projections look rather too optimistic given the potential inflationary pressures from Trump’s economic agenda, including tax cuts, tariffs, and immigration policies.
Financial analysts from the Financial Times noted that the Fed’s cautious stance could diverge from the more aggressive rate-cutting strategies of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England, further complicating the global economic landscape.
Trump’s economic policies, combined with Musk and Ramaswamy’s cost-cutting initiatives, may pose significant challenges for the Federal Reserve. While the Fed has historically operated with substantial independence, tensions with the White House could test that autonomy.
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