Fact check: Did Donald Trump say Biden hired Jerome Powell

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Donald Trump did make statements that could be interpreted as saying Biden hired Jerome Powell, but the context reveals a more complex situation. According to the sources, Trump expressed surprise that Powell was appointed as Fed chair and stated that Biden "put him in and extended him" ^[1]. Additionally, Trump criticized Biden for reappointing Powell, saying "Sleepy Joe saw how bad he was and reappointed him anyway" ^[2].

However, the factual record shows that Biden reappointed rather than hired Powell. Multiple sources confirm that Biden reappointed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman ^{[3] [4] [5]}, and that Powell was originally nominated as Fed chair by Trump during his first term, with Biden nominating him for a second four-year term in 2022 ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial historical context about Powell's appointment timeline. Jerome Powell's career at the Federal Reserve spans multiple administrations: he was initially appointed to the Federal Reserve Board by Barack Obama, then elevated to chairman by Donald Trump in 2018, and subsequently reappointed by Joe Biden in 2022 ^{[7] [3] [4]}.

Trump's criticism of Powell appears to be part of a broader pattern of dissatisfaction with the Federal Reserve's policies. The sources indicate that Trump has expressed unhappiness with Powell and the Federal Reserve's decisions ^[8], and has even asked GOP lawmakers if he should fire Powell ^[6]. This suggests that Trump's statements about Biden and Powell may be motivated by his ongoing disagreement with Fed policies rather than factual accuracy.

Political figures like Trump benefit from framing Powell's reappointment as Biden "hiring" him because it allows them to distance themselves from responsibility for Powell's policies while attributing blame to their political opponents.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The framing of the question itself contains potential bias by using the word "hired" rather than "reappointed." This terminology misrepresents the actual sequence of events and could mislead audiences about the nature of Powell's relationship with different administrations.

Trump's own statements show inconsistency: while he criticized Biden for reappointing Powell, calling it one of his "worst appointments" ^[2], Trump himself was the one who originally elevated Powell to the chairman position. This creates a contradiction where Trump simultaneously takes credit for and distances himself from Powell's appointment depending on the political context.

The sources reveal that Trump's characterization of Biden "hiring" Powell is technically inaccurate, as Biden's action was a reappointment of someone Trump had originally chosen for the role. This mischaracterization serves Trump's political interests by allowing him to blame Biden for policies implemented by someone Trump himself selected.