Powell Should Leave Fed Board by May 2026, Bessent Suggests

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell should step down from the central bank’s board in May 2026. Traditionally, Fed chairs serve two-year terms as governors after leaving their chair role. However, a “shadow” Fed chair would remain on the board before a potential nomination, causing market confusion. Bessent believes this would be confusing for investors if a former Fed chair stays on the board.

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-15/bessent-says-formal-process-for-powell-succcessor-has-started