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Trump administration’s Federal Reserve HQ probe escalates with unannounced site visit by prosecutors
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Deputies from the United State’s Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (USADC) showed up earlier this week, unannounced, at the Federal Reserve’s construction site in Washington, D.C., which is part of an investigation tied to congressional testimony from Chairman Jerome Powell.
After speaking with construction workers, two prosecutors from the USADC were reportedly turned away and told they could not be permitted access because they had not gotten preauthorized clearance, the Wall Street Journal first reported. They were then reportedly given the contact information of the appropriate Fed staff to reach out to.
The visit underscores U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro’s view of the case the Trump administration launched in November against Powell. In January the Trump administration’s Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas amid an investigation into the Federal Reserve’s multi-billion dollar D.C. headquarters renovation that began in November and is tied to whether Powell lied to Congress about the $2.5 billion renovation or failed to comply with the appropriate permitting rules.
BOASBERG BLOCKS SUBPOENAS AGAINST FED CHAIR JEROME POWELL
U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro delivers remarks on an arrest connected to the 2012 U.S. Embassy attack in Benghazi, at the Department of Justice on Feb. 6, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Justice Department officials announced that the FBI has arrested Zubayr al-Bakoush, a suspect in 2012 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A Fed spokesperson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry and it declined to comment when contacted by the WSJ.
«Any construction project that has cost overruns of almost 80% over the original construction budget deserves some serious review,» Pirro said in a statement to Fox News Digital. «And these people are in charge of monetary policy in the United States?»
An outside attorney for the Federal Reserve, Robert Hur, reportedly objected to the visit in a latter to Pirro’s office.
Hur, in his letter, pointed to U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s ruling last month that threw out the subpoenas in a 27-page ruling describing them as an effort to «harass and pressure Powell.» Boasberg is an appointee of former President Barack Obama.
TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD THE FEDERAL RESERVE MEETS GOP SENATOR HOLDING UP HIS CONFIRMATION
U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell listens to a question during a press conference after the Monetary Policy Committee meeting, at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. on March 19, 2025. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
Powell has been pressured by President Donald Trump to lower interest rates and to step down as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. His term as chair ends May, but the probe also threatens President Trump’s pick to replace him Kevin Warsh.
Outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has said he would withhold his vote to confirm Warsh if the Fed investigation is not dropped.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., head of the Senate Banking Committee, proposed that Pirro’s investigation would be completed in a few weeks during an interview with Fox News. However, when pressed on whether he knew for sure the investigation would end Scott indicated he did not have any evidence of that.
President Donald Trump defends the DOJ probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell during an interview on «CBS Evening News.» (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters; Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
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President Trump, meanwhile, thanked Pirro and others for having «courage» to perserver in the investigation.
«We have a moron at the Fed. Who wouldn’t be lowering interest rates right now?» Trump said last month. «I want to thank Jeanine Pirro and Pam and her group for having the courage to bring this suit. And I believe that the contractor on that job is probably one of the richest men in the country right now. I believe that it’s not possible to spend that kind of money — $3 billion, $4 billion — nobody knows, nobody has any idea what it is. But it’s over $3 billion and it’s probably going to be over $4 billion by the time they finish and it may never get finished, unless I take it over. I’ll get it finished. But it can never be what it was.»
attorney general, corruption crime, investigations, federal reserve, washington
INTERNACIONAL
Soros-backed prosecutor hit with rebuke after dismissing probe as Trump ‘partisan attacks’: ‘Hey scumbag’
Mother of murder victim Stephanie Minter calls out lenient policies amid DOJ investigation
Cheryl Minter, mother of murdered Stephanie Minter, expresses outrage over her daughter’s killing by an illegal immigrant with a violent criminal history. Minter reveals that Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano repeatedly showed leniency to the suspect. She reacts to news that the DOJ is investigating Descano for giving preferential treatment to illegal immigrants over citizens, emphasizing the need to prioritize American children and citizens.
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Embattled Soros-backed prosecutor Steve Descano is facing scrutiny again, this time for dismissing a Justice Department probe into allegations that he gave favorable deals to illegal immigrants, calling it one of President Donald Trump’s «partisan attacks.»
Jennifer Harrison, head of the Victim Rights Reform Council, responded to Fairfax County, Virginia, Commonwealth’s Attorney Descano’s claim by writing on X, «Hey scumbag … This has NOTHING to do with President Trump and it’s not going to be the fundraising tool you thought it would – no Soros blood money for you today.»
The DOJ opened a «pattern or practice» civil rights investigation into Descano last week, examining whether his office violated federal law by weighing «immigration consequences» in charging decisions and plea deals, amid an ongoing spate of violent crime in Fairfax County involving illegal immigrants.
Victim Rights Reform Council requested that the DOJ launch an investigation on behalf of Cheryl Minter, whose daughter, Stephanie Minter, was fatally stabbed at a bus stop earlier this year, allegedly by Abdul Jalloh, a 32-year-old illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone.
DOJ OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO SOROS-BACKED DA ACCUSED OF SHIELDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CONSEQUENCES
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano speaks at an event in Fairfax County, Va. (Sarah Voisin/Getty Images)
Descano responded to the DOJ investigation through spokeswoman Laura Birnbaum, who wrote in a statement that «this investigation is the latest example of the Trump administration’s own ‘pattern or practice’ of misusing the Justice Department to launch partisan attacks.»
Birnbaum said the «DOJ’s letter announcing the investigation distorts the office’s policy,» which she said has «been in place publicly for over five years – and happened to arrive just a week before Commonwealth’s Attorney Descano is set to testify before Congress.»
Descano, whose entry into political office was propelled by a massive $627,653 donation from the Soros family’s Justice and Public Safety PAC, is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement on Thursday.
The hearing is titled «Fairfax County, Virginia: The Dangerous Consequences of Sanctuary Policies.» County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid will also testify, along with Minter, former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, and Virginians for Safe Communities President Sean Kennedy.
SOROS-BACKED DA’S LAX ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES LED TO ‘PREVENTABLE’ BUS STOP STABBING MURDER: COMPLAINT
Abdul Jalloh, 32, is accused of killing Stephanie Minter, 41, at a bus stop in Virginia. (Fairfax County Police Department; provided)
Birnbaum insisted, «Our office’s policies are fair, legal, and reflect the values of Fairfax County.»
She said Descano’s office «will not be distracted from our mission of keeping this community safe and holding individuals accountable when they commit crimes.»
In response, Harrison said the civil rights investigation was initiated after a request from a victim’s loved one.
«Hey scumbag – Cheryl Minter, mother of Stephanie filed the complaint that initiated the investigation. I know bc I filed it on her behalf,» wrote Harrison.
She continued, «We are also well aware that your deadly and disastrous policies were in place for quite some time – if not Cheryl’s daughter Stephanie would still be alive which is why we filed the complaint and asked for this investigation.»
DEM GOVERNOR UNDER FIRE AFTER ILLEGAL ALIEN ALLEGEDLY STABS WOMAN TO DEATH AT BUS STOP: ‘HEINOUS’
Harmeet K. Dhillon speaks at the IAC National Summit 2026 at The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Fla., on Jan. 17, 2026. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)
In another X post, Harrison called the victim’s mother «an amazing, brave woman,» writing, «We cannot bring Stephanie back but we can make sure this does not keep happening in her honor.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Descano’s office for comment.
In a press release following Minter’s death, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that Descano’s office had been warned about Jalloh and the danger he posed to the public ahead of Minter’s death.
Last week, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the investigation into Descano would zero in on his plea bargaining, charging decisions and sentencing policies.
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«Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow local prosecutors to pick and choose winners based on their immigration status,» said Dhillon, adding, «This investigation will uncover whether this prosecutor is putting the community at risk in offering sweetheart deals to illegal immigrants charged with serious crimes.»
Fox News Digital also reached out to the DOJ and White House for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno and Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
sanctuary cities, migrant crime, illegal immigrants, justice department, george soros, virginia, woke
INTERNACIONAL
El informe de Standard & Poor’s confirma la solidez de las reservas y la estabilidad monetaria en Guatemala
El último informe publicado por S&P Global Ratings confirmó las calificaciones soberanas de Guatemala en moneda extranjera y local en nivel BB+, con perspectiva estable, reflejando una continuidad en su perfil crediticio.
Esta decisión consolida la posición del país como el de deuda pública neta más baja en América Latina, y reconoce su capacidad para sostener su solidez externa y una política monetaria confiable, incluso frente a escenarios de crisis internacionales y presiones domésticas para expandir el gasto en infraestructura.
Esta ratificación llega en un contexto de pronóstico de crecimiento económico moderado para Guatemala, con estimaciones de expansión anual promedio del 3,5% entre 2026 y 2029, según los analistas de S&P Global Ratings.
El informe precisa que, aunque se trata de una desaceleración respecto al 4% promedio de los cuatro años previos, el crecimiento sigue impulsado principalmente por el consumo, en especial el efecto de las remesas, que corresponden a alrededor del 20% del PIB y cuya estabilidad se considera una variable crítica para el desempeño económico nacional.
La decisión de S&P Global Ratings sitúa a Guatemala entre los países de la región con mejores indicadores externos. Destaca que las reservas internacionales alcanzaron el 26% del PIB en 2025 y que la posición de acreedor externo neto está entre las más sólidas de los mercados emergentes latinoamericanos.
Según las proyecciones, la deuda pública neta se mantendrá cerca del 20% del PIB entre 2026 y 2028, cifra ampliamente inferior al promedio regional, y los déficits fiscales se situarán en niveles manejables, pese al previsto aumento en la inversión de capital para infraestructura clave.
El balance positivo de la cuenta corriente representa otro aspecto clave del análisis. Guatemala ha registrado superávits en este rubro durante 10 años consecutivos, consecuencia del flujo sostenido de remesas desde el exterior y de una economía focalizada en el consumo interno. Aunque se estima que estos superávits disminuirán, se proyecta que las necesidades brutas de financiamiento externo promedien el 60% de los ingresos en cuenta corriente y reservas disponibles durante los próximos cuatro años, volumen considerado sostenible por el nivel actual de liquidez.
El tipo de cambio del quetzal revela elevada estabilidad, y la política monetaria del Banco Central de Guatemala mantiene la inflación bajo control: el índice de precios al consumidor promedió 1,6% en 2025, por debajo del objetivo central del 4% (+/- 1%). Bajo este escenario, el banco central aprobó una reducción de la tasa de política monetaria al 3,5% desde febrero de 2026.
La exposición de la deuda pública a moneda extranjera, que actualmente representa casi el 50%, ha descendido respecto al 60% registrado en 2015. Asimismo, cerca del 90% de la deuda es a tasa fija y con plazo extendido, limitando la vulnerabilidad ante fluctuaciones en mercados internacionales, subrayó S&P Global Ratings.
A pesar de la robustez de sus indicadores macroeconómicos, Guatemala enfrenta desafíos estructurales de largo plazo. S&P Global Ratings señala que el 56% de la población vivía en pobreza en 2023 y que entre el 70% y el 80% de los trabajadores se emplea en el sector informal, factores que restringen el crecimiento inclusivo y complican el aumento constante de ingresos fiscales.
El déficit de infraestructura es otro obstáculo importante. Aunque se han aprobado leyes para priorizar el desarrollo vial y alianzas público-privadas, la capacidad gubernamental para ejecutar a plenitud los planes de inversión sigue limitada. Entre los proyectos en marcha, resaltan la modernización del puerto de Quetzal —con apoyo del Cuerpo de Ingenieros del Ejército de Estados Unidos—, mejoras en aeropuertos, ampliaciones viales y la construcción de un sistema de metro en Ciudad de Guatemala. Un reciente proceso licitatorio para aumentar la conectividad eléctrica fue declarado nulo y será relanzado, lo que evidencia las dificultades administrativas y políticas para impulsar infraestructura esencial.
La afirmación de la calificación ‘BB+’ toma en cuenta variables de calidad institucional y gobernanza. S&P Global Ratings sostiene: “La percepción histórica de corrupción elevada y el entorno político fragmentado han limitado la eficacia de la formulación de políticas”.
Sin embargo, durante 2026, la administración del presidente Bernardo Arévalo alcanzó consensos con el Congreso y logró aprobar leyes cruciales a pesar de su escasa representación parlamentaria, además de avanzar en el nombramiento de autoridades en el Tribunal Electoral, Procuraduría General y otras entidades clave, acciones que pueden fortalecer el sistema de contrapesos y avanzar en la agenda anticorrupción.
El informe advierte que la calificación podría ser rebajada en los próximos 12 a 24 meses si se presenta una caída inesperada de remesas y consumo interno o si la capacidad de crecimiento del PIB se deteriora, poniendo en jaque las posiciones fiscal y externa del país. Por su parte, una mejora de la calificación dependerá del fortalecimiento de la colaboración política y la ejecución eficaz de reformas, con impacto favorable en la resiliencia económica y el ingreso per cápita.
Guatemala,S&P Global Ratings,calificación crediticia,deuda,endeudamiento,América Latina,economía,remesas,pobreza,infraestructura
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