Jerome Powell: steely Fed chair standing firm in face of Trump’s threats

Highly respected figure has cast off restrained approach in defending central bank from escalating attacks

There are often few surprises with Jerome Powell. At his handful of public appearances each month, the US Federal Reserve chair always sports the same softly stern expression. His voice, typically dispassionate and near-monotone, never wavers.

As one of the most powerful officials in the world, commanding a platform that has the ability to move global markets with a few words, Powell is often reserved in a way that fails to yield soundbites in this social media era: boring, even.