Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said the Trump administration’s trade policies could put the US central bank in a difficult position by generating persistent inflationary pressures and higher unemployment.

U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his criticism on Thursday of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, calling him a "fool" and complaining that the Fed is refusing to lower interest rates. Trump has been on a virtual war path against Powell in recent weeks,

The Fed operates with a dual mandate of keeping the labor market healthy while maintaining stable prices. At the moment, the labor market remains solid and inflation, while not at the 2% annual level the Fed desires, has come down significantly. That could change if some of the more aggressive Trump tariffs take effect.