An influential governor on the Federal Reserve said on Friday that the nation’s central bank should begin lowering interest rates as early as July, arguing that policymakers should not wait for the labor market to weaken before they reduce borrowing costs.
The comments from Christopher J. Waller came days after he joined 11 other officials in voting to leave rates unchanged. But Mr. Waller said the Fed could act as soon as next month, citing the fact that its main reason for holding off — price increases from the president’s tariffs — may prove only temporary.
Mr. Waller’s stance puts him at odds with some members of the Fed, including Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, who stressed this week that the central bank should remain patient as it tried to assess the full effect of President Trump’s economic policies, including tariffs. The decision to freeze rates again angered the president, who has tried to pressure the Fed for months into adopting steep and immediate rate cuts.
In an appearance on CNBC, Mr. Waller, who was appointed by Mr. Trump, suggested that the Fed could begin cutting rates more quickly than many had expected given this week’s policy statement and economic projections. While he described the job market as “solid,” he also acknowledged recent data showing that some Americans, including college graduates, are experiencing difficulty in finding employment.
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