Jeanine Pirro is going after Jerome Powell, heedless of backlash

Chris Strohm, Bloomberg News on Jan 12, 2026

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WASHINGTON — Jeanine Pirro didn’t seek sign-off from her bosses at the Justice Department before subpoenaing the Federal Reserve and has no plans to back down from an investigation into Chairman Jerome Powell, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The probe elicited objections from lawmakers and comments from President Donald Trump that suggest he’s trying to distance himself from the matter. Nonetheless, Pirro, a former Fox News host who was confirmed as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia five months ago, plans to forge ahead, said the person, who asked not to be identified publicly discussing the sensitive situation.

Investors are doubtful of her success. While U.S. assets initially sold off on news of the investigation in early trading Monday, stocks and bonds bounced back by the end of the day. That suggests traders think Republicans will find ways to dial back the probe given the critical importance investors assign to a Federal Reserve that’s free from political influence.

Senator Thom Tillis, a key GOP member on the Banking Committee who isn’t running for reelection, vowed to oppose any Trump nominees to the Fed until the matter is resolved. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the threat of a legal battle with the Fed could make confirming future nominees “challenging.” Axios reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Trump that the investigation had created a mess and could be bad for financial markets.

Trump, meanwhile, told NBC News on Sunday that “I don’t know anything about” the probe into Powell.

All that points to major obstacles in the offing for Pirro. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte was a driving force behind the effort to investigate the Federal Reserve, Bloomberg News has reported. Pulte said Monday he didn’t know anything about the subpoenas.

Pirro’s office declined to comment. A representative for Attorney General Pam Bondi also declined to comment.

The examination is tied to Powell’s June congressional testimony on renovations of the Fed’s headquarters. But on Sunday, the Fed chair said it was really intended to pressure policymakers who refused to go along with Trump’s very public insistence that interest rates should be lower to support the housing market and economy.

Pirro served as an assistant district attorney for Westchester County in New York in 1975. She was elected as a judge for the county in 1990 and then was elected as Westchester County District Attorney in 1993.

She rose to national prominence as host of Justice With Judge Jeanine on Fox News starting in 2011 and became a co-host of The Five in 2022. She’s a long-time supporter and ally of Trump.

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(With assistance from Jimmy Jenkins.)

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