{"id":2463280,"date":"2025-07-17T23:27:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T03:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/powell-sends-letter-to-white-house-defending-2-5-billion-fed-renovations-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T23:28:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T03:28:57","slug":"powell-sends-letter-to-white-house-defending-2-5-billion-fed-renovations-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/powell-sends-letter-to-white-house-defending-2-5-billion-fed-renovations-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Powell sends letter to White House defending $2.5 billion Fed renovations &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpowell-sends-letter-to-white-house-defending-2-5-billion-fed-renovations-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2463280&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell sent a letter to the White House defending the $2.5 billion renovation of the Federal Reserve&#8217;s headquarters, amid criticism from Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Vought publicly questioned Powell&#8217;s management and accused him of overseeing an excessively lavish overhaul of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-has-no-plan-to-keep-cash-out-of-talibans-hands-gop-lawmakers-say\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Has No Plan to Keep Cash Out of Taliban\u2019s Hands, GOP Lawmakers Say\">central bank&#8217;<\/a>s buildings. In response, Powell emphasized the importance of openness and accountability, stating that the renovation project, approved in 2017, involved necessary structural repairs and updates such as removing asbestos, replacing outdated systems, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-economic-week-ahead\/\" title=\"The Economic Week Ahead\">improving fire safety<\/a>. Powell also requested an autonomous inspector general to review the project.Former President Donald Trump,unhappy with Powell&#8217;s monetary policies,criticized the spending on the renovation and suggested it might very well be grounds for firing,though he acknowledged Powell cannot be easily removed. Powell denied allegations of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >extravagant design features<\/a>, clarifying that no luxury additions were made during the renovations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Powell sends letter to White House defending $2.5 billion Fed renovations<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2176282\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Federal Reserve Chairman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jerome-powell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Jerome Powell <\/a>sent a letter to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">White House<\/a> concerning the $2.5 billion renovations to the bank&rsquo;s headquarters after a top official said the building was undergoing an &ldquo;ostentatious overhaul.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget,&nbsp;posted a letter to social media <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/russvought\/status\/1943362774416883908\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">last week <\/a>that openly questioned Powell&rsquo;s leadership and whether he mismanaged the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/average-rate-on-a-30-year-mortgage-ticks-up-to-6-49\/\" title=\"Average Rate on a 30-year Mortgage Ticks Up to 6.49%\">central bank&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s headquarters budget. Vought previously accused Powell of including lavish features in the bank&rsquo;s new HQ.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3475150\/trump-sue-wsj-rupert-murdoch-epstein-birthday-letter-story\/\">Trump to sue WSJ and Rupert Murdoch after &#8216;defamatory&#8217; story on Epstein birthday letter<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3475158\/trump-new-classification-non-career-federal-government-worker\/\">Trump creates new classification of non-career federal government worker<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3475106\/trump-not-recommend-epstein-files-special-prosecutor\/\">Trump won&#8217;t shut down Epstein files outrage with special prosecutor recommendation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The President is extremely troubled by your management of the Federal Reserve System,&rdquo; Vought wrote. &ldquo;Instead of attempting to right the Fed&rsquo;s fiscal ship, you have plowed ahead with an ostentatious overhaul of your Washington, D.C. headquarters.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Powell wrote in his letter on Thursday that the &ldquo;board believes it is of the utmost importance to provide transparency for our decisions and to be accountable to the public.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have taken great care to ensure the project is carefully overseen since it was first approved by the Board in 2017,&rdquo; Powell added.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell listens during a Senate Committee on Banking hearing, June 25, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Powell said he has asked the central bank&rsquo;s independent inspector general to conduct a &ldquo;fresh review&rdquo; of the project. He said the two buildings, the Federal Reserve Board&rsquo;s Marriner S. Eccles Building and 1951 Constitution Ave. building, needed &ldquo;significant structural repairs and other updates&hellip; including the removal of asbestos and lead contamination, complete replacement of antiquated systems such as electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, as well as fire detection and -2- suppression systems.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump has been unhappy with Powell&rsquo;s refusal to cut interest rates, labeling him &ldquo;Mr. Too Late.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Powell is the independent head of the Federal Reserve and was appointed by Trump during his first term. He cannot be fired unless &ldquo;for cause.&rdquo; Trump appears to be looking for more reasons to fire him.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When you spend $2.5 billion on, really, a renovation, I think it&rsquo;s really disgraceful,&rdquo; Trump told reporters, adding he believes it is &ldquo;sort of&rdquo; a fireable offense. He said Wednesday that it was &ldquo;highly unlikely&rdquo; that he would fire Powell &ldquo;unless he has to leave for fraud.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Powell has denied spending on lavish design features for the headquarters. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no VPI dining room. There&rsquo;s no new marble. We took down the old marble while putting it back up,&rdquo; Powell told Congress last month. &ldquo;There are no new water features. There&rsquo;s no beehives and there&rsquo;s no roof terrace gardens.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3474273\/white-house-moves-bolster-trump-case-jerome-powell-firing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">WHITE HOUSE MOVES TO BOLSTER TRUMP&rsquo;S CASE FOR JEROME POWELL FIRING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vought had accused Powell of lying in his testimony. He said Powell&rsquo;s testimony &ldquo;has led to serious questions that now require additional oversight from OMB, in conjunction with the National Capital Planning Commission.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Powell said in his letter that the Federal Reserve is &ldquo;not generally subject to the direction&rdquo; of the NCPC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2176282\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2176282\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Powell defends $2.5B Fed HQ renovations in letter to White House<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2463281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/jerome-powell.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[59384,59383,8975,32076,32127],"class_list":["post-2463280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-2-5-billion","tag-fed-renovations","tag-powell","tag-washington-examiner","tag-white-house"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/jerome-powell.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2463280"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2463284,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463280\/revisions\/2463284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2463281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2463280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2463280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2463280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}