Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh vows not to be Trump’s ‘sock puppet’
If there’s any single message to take from Kevin Warsh’s confirmation hearing to become the next chair of the Federal Reserve, it’s that Sen. Thom Tillis is not going to budge on his vow to block the vote.
There is only one path for Warsh’s confirmation, and it runs through Tillis. That means Warsh, and the White House, have a problem.
The red line that the retiring North Carolina senator has drawn in the sand is not a secret: He’s a “no” on Trump’s pick to be the next Fed chair until the “frivolous” Justice Department investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell is dropped entirely.
When that happens — and only when that happens — Tillis will be on board and Warsh will sail through his committee and Senate floor votes, given the GOP majority in the chamber.
But at least twice in the last week, President Donald Trump has signaled he has no plans to order an end to the probe. Jeanine Pirro, the DC US Attorney leading the probe, has also repeatedly doubled-down on her pursuit, despite a running series of mishaps and judicial slap-downs.
Over the course of the last week, White House officials have quietly discussed whether there’s a way to circumvent Tillis and his deciding vote on the committee — something that is technically procedurally possible, but would require votes they can’t secure or a rule change there’s no appetite to consider.
For now, there’s no path to confirm Warsh before Powell’s last day on May 15 until the investigation is explicitly, and publicly, dropped.
DOCUMENTED REFERENCES
Exploring Documented Records
Public interest in the Epstein case continues not only because of court proceedings and testimonies, but also due to the growing body of documented records that help researchers and readers understand the broader context. Beyond legal files and media reports, some independent projects have organized publicly available data connected to Epstein’s activities.
One example is a structured archive of documented Amazon order records, where purchases are cataloged with dates and product details. While individual items do not prove wrongdoing on their own, examining documented information alongside established facts helps paint a clearer picture of the environment and circumstances surrounding the case.
Browse the structured archive of documented order records
For readers looking to review primary-source style data rather than interpretations, exploring compiled records can provide additional context to the broader discussion.
