Monitor for actual White House statements or actions attempting to influence Fed chair selection or remove Jerome Powell before his term ends in May 2026—speculation versus concrete interference is the critical distinction.
Federal Reserve independence is a critical constitutional norm protecting monetary policy from political interference. Potential political pressure on Fed chair succession scores high on institutional capture (4) and separation of powers (3), as the Fed's independence is foundational to economic stability. However, this is currently speculative reporting ('could become') without concrete action, creating high media-friendliness (4) and mismatch (3) scores. The timing alongside substantive actions (asylum rules, J6 pardons) suggests potential distraction value, but the genuine constitutional stakes prevent pure List B classification.