President-elect Donald Trump has stated that he does not intend to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, despite years of criticism and previous suggestions that he might attempt to do so during his first term—a move Powell has indicated would be illegal. In an interview aired on NBC on Sunday, Trump responded, “No, I don’t think so, I don’t see it,” when asked if he would try to remove Powell. Trump has frequently criticized Powell and considered firing him over interest rate hikes in 2018. However, Trump has since backed away from this threat, telling Bloomberg over the summer that he would allow Powell to complete his term, which extends through May 2026. Trump expressed his belief that Powell would step down if Trump “told him to,” but not if he merely “asked him to.” Last month, Powell told reporters that he would not resign if Trump asked him to, as it is “not permitted under the law,” emphasizing the Federal Reserve’s independence from the federal government.