“Bessent is trying to show Trump there is a path to get what he wants without unnecessary market turmoil,” said Stephen Myrow, managing partner at Beacon Policy Advisors. That path would involve allowing Powell to finish out his term as chair and stepping down from the Federal Reserve board once his chairmanship is up.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that he will meet his Chinese counterpart next week in Stockholm and discuss what is likely to be an extension of an August 12 deadline for a deal to avert sharply higher tariffs.