WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve is expected to leave its short-term interest rate unchanged on Wednesday for the fifth straight meeting, a move that will likely underscore the deep divide between how Chair Jerome Powell and his chief critic, President Donald Trump, see the economy.
The Fed itself, to be sure, is increasingly divided over its next steps, and many economists expect that two members of the Fed’s governing board — both appointed by Trump — could dissent on Wednesday in favor of cutting rates. If so, that would be the first time two governors vote against the chair since 1993.
Even so, the gap between the views of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee, chaired by Powell, and the White House is unusually large. In several areas, Trump’s views sharply contrast with that of the Fed’s leadership, setting up likely clashes for years to come, even after Powell’s term…
