Fed’s Christopher Waller Sees Rate Cut as Soon as July

Article originally posted on HERE on June 24, 2025

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller told CNBC Friday that he doesn’t expect tariffs to boost inflation significantly, and therefore policymakers should look to lower interest rates as early as next month. The central banker said he and his colleagues should move slowly but start to ease, since inflation is not posing a major economic threat.

“I think we’re in the position that we could do this as early as July,” Waller said during a “Squawk Box” interview with CNBC’s Steve Liesman. “That would be my view, whether the committee would go along with it or not.”

The comments came two days after the Federal Open Market Committee, including Waller, voted to hold its key interest rate in the range it has maintained since December.

Waller opined the Fed should cut to avoid a potential slowdown in the labor market. “If you’re starting to worry about the downside risk [to the] labor market, move now, don’t wait,” he said.