'You just added a third building': Powell fact checks Trump's Fed renovation as awkward hard-hat visit turns tense
Source: independent.com
Federal Reserve chair wasnt fazed by Trumps attempt to bully him in front of press
Andrew Feinberg
Thursday 24 July 2025 16:51 EDT
President Donald Trumps attempt to shame Federal Reserve Board of Governors chair Jerome Powell over the cost of a long-running renovation to the central banks Washington headquarters went horribly wrong on Thursday when Powell had a ready response for the presidents accusations during a tour of the construction site.
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Trump said the cost of the years-long project was now about $3.1 billion rather than the $2.7 billion previously stated by Powell.
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The chairman replied: I havent heard that from anybody and asked if the paper Trump was reading from came from the central bank.
At that point, Trump handed him the paper and continued talking while Powell pulled out his reading glasses to look.
He then told the president that the higher number he was claiming included a separate project that wasnt part of the renovation at issue.
You just added in a third building, he said.
When Trump replied...................
More follows...
Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-powell-fed-renovation-meeting-b2795600.html
The title of this story should be:
TRUMP MAKES A FOOL OF HIMSELF AGAIN ON NATIONAL TV!!!
Powell knows how to handle a third grader who lies.
Please read the entire article--short but sweet. --I laughed out loud with Powell's expression when Trump told him a big whopper!!!

Link to tweet
Olga Nesterova
@onestpress
Just watch this. Here Trump makes up a higher number for the new fed building construction, Powell factchecks him - you just added the building that was finished 5 years ago!
Link to tweet

Eliot Rosewater
(33,287 posts)Have just read Mark Elias democracy docket outlining basically how millions of voters will not be voting in any future elections because of the unconstitutional attack on voting, I have no hope for the future at all and every time I see the piece of shit my heart wants to explode But another part of me wants to do something else😡
Deuxcents
(23,288 posts)reACTIONary
(6,610 posts)... a balance sheet and can actually add and subtract.
ancianita
(41,187 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(65,963 posts)Last edited Thu Jul 24, 2025, 08:02 PM - Edit history (1)
for about thirty seconds, just long enough for Trump to declare that the cost was up to 3.1 billion. Then the video was cut off. The part where Powell points out Trump is wrong was not shown.
MLWR
(432 posts)Unbelievable. Walter Cronkite is doing whirlies in his grave. ABC did show the entire clip. CBS should be ashamed.
littlemissmartypants
(28,671 posts)NJCher
(40,852 posts)Here's what I saw:
Powell knew a set up was coming. He even looked annoyed at having to be there.
The building is being re-habbed and not with taxpayer money (they didn't say where the money was coming from, but I am checking that). Trump was trying to make it look like there was a cost overrun because of Powell's handling, since it is the Federal Reserve. That's why he was there was Scott. He was trying to make it look like he was calling Powell out for mismanagement.
If you notice what Scott says, he barely understands his part in the poorly conceived facade. He stumbles over his words and expresses himself very clumsily.
Powell, on the other hand, can barely tolerate being with this crass asshole trump, and immediately begins correcting trump by shaking his head in disagreement as trump tries to create this appearance that there is an even more substantial cost overrun that the supposed amount cited by Scott in the beginning.
It takes Powell about 2 seconds to see what trump is doing, and he explains that to the cameras by saying that he's added another building into the mix! "You just added in a third building is what that is." The look of disgust on his face is palpable.
Trump then stupidly says, " "It's a building that's being built." Now WTF is that supposed to mean?
Answer: a big fat nothing because trump is to stupid to respond when he's caught in the act of trying to cast aspersions on somone like Powell.
I like the way Powell treats trump because it's the same way the Canadian prime minister, Carney, treats him: with thinly veiled contempt and a very distinct overtone that trump is a waste of time that he wishes he didn't have to deal with.
3catwoman3
(27,271 posts)How about a new word - crasshole.
yardwork
(67,345 posts)TexasBushwhacker
(20,952 posts)How many projects has Trump has with cost overruns? How much did he lose on converting the DC post office into a luxury hotel, which he sold to Waldorf Astoria.
timms139
(350 posts)didn't ask Powell to cheat the contractors out of their money to cut costs .
Response to riversedge (Original post)
timms139 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Ilsa
(63,064 posts)used for the Fed project, or am I mistaken. Doesn't the Federal Reserve have its own budget?
LudwigPastorius
(13,056 posts)The Fed budget comes from a portion of the interest paid on the government securities it holds. The rest of that money goes to the U.S. Treasury.
DallasNE
(7,833 posts)The "third building" would have been completed late in Trump's first term as President. That is what makes it so damning.
SunSeeker
(56,270 posts)In other words, that building was constructed during Trump's first term.
Bravo, Chairman Powell!
mwb970
(11,890 posts)He seems touchy about his mental decline. Let's throw it at him every chance we get.
Kid Berwyn
(21,574 posts)Very expressive reaction to a crazy rambling imbecile.
It will not go unnoticed in the Spite Haus.
Steven Millers gonna put poor Powell back on the chopping block.