DOJ probe into Fed chair Powell is ‘Maduro’ warning from Trump, analyst says

Key Points

U.S. stock futures fell on Monday after the Federal Reserve revealed the DoJ had opened an investigation into its chair, Jerome Powell.
The probe raises questions over the central bank’s independence from Donald Trump’s White House and concerns over the credibility of Powell’s successor.
One analyst told CNBC that the probe was Trump threatening Powell with “the Maduro option,” a reference to the Venezuelan president seized by the U.S. military last weekend.

Source

Finance

Yellen says Powell probe ‘extremely chilling’ for Fed independence, market should be concerned

January 12, 2026

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks with CNBC from the New York Federal Reserve on Sept. 26th, 2024. David A. Grogan | CNBC Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen on Monday condemned an investigation into her successor, Jerome Powell, saying it compromises the central bank’s independence. Yellen, who served as Treasury secretary after leaving the Fed, […]

Finance

Trump’s credit card rate cap plan has unclear path, ‘devastating’ risks, bank insiders say

January 12, 2026

Key Points Trump proposed a one-year 10% cap on the interest rates that American credit card companies can charge customers. Shares of Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Capitol One fell in response. It’s unclear how the cap would be enforced, and bank industry insiders say it would […]

Finance

Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Capital One, Affirm, Walmart, Akamai, Sun Country & more

January 12, 2026

Check out the companies making the biggest moves before the bell: Bank stocks — The group fell broadly after President Donald Trump called for credit card rates to be capped at 10% for one year . Citigroup dropped 4%, while Capital One slid nearly 10%. Bank of America , Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase were […]