EXCLUSIVE: Should Fed Chair Powell Resign? Here's What Benzinga Readers Said

Jerome Powell is scheduled to be the Federal Reserve Chairman through May 2028, but an ongoing conflict with President Donald Trump has put his time in the role into question.

A new Benzinga poll shows whether readers think Powell should step down from the position.

What Happened: Trump and Powell recently met at the White House, an occasion that likely didn't see a future friendship between the two figures.

Trump has maintained the belief that Powell and the Fed are making a "mistake" by not cutting rates quickly enough.

Powell has remained steadfast in not letting politics get in the way of his job, saying the Fed is independent and monetary policy will "depend entirely on incoming economic information."

Reports that Powell was resigning and that Trump would try to fire Powell, which could be legally challenged, have been key talking points for the stock market in 2025.

Benzinga recently asked if Powell should step aside.

"Jerome Powell is scheduled to be the Federal Reserve Chairman until May 2028. With increased conflict between Powell and President Donald Trump, should the chairman resign?" Benzinga asked.

Here were the results:

• No, Powell should serve out the remainder of his term: 66%
• Yes, Powell should resign: 21%
• Not Sure/Don't Care: 13%

The results show that Benzinga readers and investors don't think Powell should resign, whether Trump wants him to or not. Around two-thirds said Powell should serve out the remainder of his term, which is set to end on May 15, 2026. Powell will also remain a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors through Jan. 31, 2028, if he does not resign.

Only 21% of readers polled said Powell should resign from his role as Federal Reserve Chair, while the remaining 13% said they are not sure or don't care if Powell resigns.

Prediction markets show slim odds that Powell will resign or be replaced in 2025. On Polymarket, the odds of Trump removing Powell are 10%, down from 20% in April. On Kalshi, the odds of Powell out as chair of the Fed in 2025 are 13%.

Read Also: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell

Why It's Important: Powell began his first term as the Chair of the Federal Reserve on Feb. 5, 2018, a position he was nominated for by Trump and was later confirmed by the Senate.

President Joe Biden nominated Powell for a second term, which started on May 23, 2022.

Powell was praised for his early handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and for navigating fiscal policy through tough times as the Federal Reserve raised rates to fight inflation.

Later, some people, like Trump, blamed Powell for not reacting to the other side quickly enough and for being too slow to cut rates when inflation eased.

Trump has argued he has "no intention" of firing Powell, but continues to publicly criticize the handling of fiscal policy by the Federal Reserve.

Investors have seen mixed results during Powell's time leading the Federal Reserve.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY, which tracks the S&P 500, is up 49.9% during Powell's current second term, good for an average annual return of around 16.6%.

The ETF is up 114.8% since Feb. 5, 2018 when Powell first became Federal Reserve Chairman. This represents an average annual return of around 16.4%.

The S&P 500 has produced average annual returns of around 10%, meaning Powell's time in office has outperformed the broader market average.

While there are things Powell could have done differently, investors seem to be happy with the current Federal Reserve Chairman.

Read Next:

• EXCLUSIVE: Congress Trading Ban Sees Huge Support In Reader Poll, Here’s The Percent That Say Let Them Keep Trading Stocks

The study was conducted by Benzinga from June 2, 2025, through June 5, 2025. It included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 204 adults.

Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.