Trump — who has entertained firing Powell, launching attacks against him for not cutting interest rates — described him as a “terrible” Fed chair before adding that he was “surprised” that Biden “put him in and extended him.”
In reality, Trump nominated Powell to the post in 2017 before Biden renominated him for a second term in 2021. He was confirmed by the Senate in both instances.
Klepper jokingly took the president’s suggestion at face value.
“Yeah! Yeah, why did Joe Biden put Jerome Powell in? Let’s go back to when Joe Biden appointed Jerome Powell and see what Joe Biden said about him,” said Klepper, teeing up a clip of Trump announcing Powell as his Fed chair pick.
“I get it. I’m also trying desperately to forget everything that happened during Trump’s first term,” Klepper quipped.
Klepper then highlighted Trump’s “pretty much nonstop” threats to fire Powell before turning to comments showing that Powell doesn’t seem “fazed” by the president’s talk.
Powell, when asked if he believes the president has the power to “fire or demote” him back in November, had a simple response: “Not permitted under the law.”
“Wow!” said Klepper as the “Daily Show” crowd applauded Powell, who repeated his comments in the clip.
Klepper joked, “He went on to add, ‘Try me, bitch.’”
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Check out more of Klepper’s Thursday monologue on “The Daily Show.”