President Donald Trump said Wednesday he expects to announce Jerome Powell’s successor at the Federal Reserve “a little bit early,” adding that he has narrowed the field to three or four contenders even though Powell’s four-year term does not end until May 2026. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is leading the search, later told reporters the administration is still evaluating a wider slate of 10–11 names and is casting a “very wide net” that includes private-sector figures. Among those cited by Bessent and other administration officials are Jefferies chief market strategist David Zervos, former Fed Governor Larry Lindsey and BlackRock fixed-income chief Rick Rieder. Career central bankers on the list include Fed Governor and Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman, Vice Chair Philip Jefferson, Governor Chris Waller and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan. Former St. Louis Fed President Jim Bullard, ex-Governor Kevin Warsh, former White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett and economist Mark Sumerlin are also under consideration. Bessent added that the White House even discussed reappointing former Fed Chair Janet Yellen, underscoring the breadth of the search. An early nomination would give markets additional time to assess the potential policy stance of a new chair, as Trump continues to criticize Powell for keeping interest rates elevated.