While interest rates are set by a committee vote, the Federal Reserve Chair wields immense influence by deciding what policy to propose and acting as the primary communicator to markets. The public and financial markets give deference to the chair's views, making their ability to shape the narrative a powerful tool.

Rajan argues that a central bank's independence is not guaranteed by its structure but by the political consensus supporting it. When political polarization increases, institutions like the Fed become vulnerable to pressure, as their supposed autonomy is only as strong as the political will to uphold it.

The Fed Chair is just one vote on the FOMC and cannot unilaterally dictate policy. To be effective, they must persuade other governors and regional presidents. A nominee like Kevin Warsh, perceived as partisan and not data-driven, may struggle to build the necessary consensus to implement his agenda, rendering him less powerful than expected.

Despite their public prominence, the Fed Chair only has one of twelve votes on the FOMC. Their influence stems from persuading committee members. Chairs avoid being outvoted by understanding the committee's consensus and sometimes aligning with it rather than forcing a losing vote.

To ensure smooth policy decisions, modern Fed chairs like Jerome Powell personally call all 18 voting and non-voting FOMC members before each meeting. This intensive, bilateral communication process is key to building consensus and setting the meeting's agenda.

Though his chairmanship ends in 2026, Powell remains on the Board of Governors until 2028. His experience and influence mean he will likely continue to steer monetary policy, making his successor a chair in name only.

While presidents focus on interest rates, a Fed Chair like Kevin Warsh has limited sway as one of 12 votes. His real impact will be on technical areas like the Fed's balance sheet, where he has stronger personal convictions and faces less political scrutiny.

Even if a politically motivated chair is appointed, the Federal Reserve's independence is largely preserved by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) structure. The chair only has one vote and must build consensus among other governors and regional bank presidents, making radical, unilateral policy shifts nearly impossible.

Despite a change in leadership, the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy is unlikely to shift materially in the near term. The new chair, Kevin Warsh, must build consensus among 16 other committee members whose views are established. The Fed's reaction function is driven by collective data analysis, not the sole will of the chair.