Fed's Kashkari Slams Hassett Comments on Tariff Analysis

Bloomberg Markets and Finance | February 19, 2026 at 03:30 PM UTC
Neutral 95% Confidence
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Key Points

  • Kashkari defends the independence of the Fed's research departments and their data-driven analysis.
  • He interprets Kevin Hassett's criticism of a New York Fed tariff study as 'another step to try to compromise the Fed's independence'.
  • He highlights that advanced economies globally maintain independent central banks to ensure monetary policy is based on data and analysis, not political needs.

AI Summary

Neel Kashkari, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, criticized Kevin Hassett's comments on a New York Fed tariff study, viewing them as an attempt to compromise the Fed's independence. Kashkari emphasized the importance of independent, data-driven monetary policy for long-term economic benefit, contrasting it with short-term political motivations.

Model Analysis Breakdown

Model Sentiment Confidence
Gemini 2.5 Flash Neutral 95%
Consensus Neutral 95%