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WASHINGTON, Dec. 26-- An economic adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday the jobs of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are safe, amid reports Trump was considering sacking the central bank chief and was displeased with the senior finance official. Powell's job is "100 percent" secure, Kevin Hassett told a reporter of NBC News at the White House, following his appearance in a Fox Business program where he said he was highly confident that Trump is happy with Mnuchin. Hassett is chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, an economic policy advisory body within the Executive Office of the President. Reports emerged Friday that Trump discussed with his advisers whether he could fire Powell, as the Fed's announcement of the fourth interest rate hike this year and the continuing stock market losses over the past months fueled the president's dissatisfaction with the central bank governor and the institution he leads. Mnuchin on Saturday denied that Trump planned to remove the Fed chairman, saying on Twitter that Trump told him in a conversation that he "never suggested firing" Powell. "Nor do I believe I have the right to do so," Mnuchin quoted Trump as saying. According to Mnuchin, however, Trump said, "I totally disagree with Fed policy. I think the increasing of interest rates and the shrinking of the Fed portfolio is an absolute terrible thing to do at this time." | 
