Swearing-In Ceremony for Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair, Energy Inflation Here to Stay? Is OpenAI the WeWork of AI? 5/22/26
Squawk on the Street
- Published
- May 22, 2026
- Duration
- 50:30
- Summary source
- description
- Last updated
- Jun 7, 2026
Discusses openai, investing.
Summary
President Trump holds a swearing-in ceremony for Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair at the White House. We discuss the challenges that lie ahead. Plus, should consumers expect higher for longer when it comes to energy prices? And could OpenAI turn out to be the WeWork of AI? One expert joins us to argue just that. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecas…
Kevin Warsh is sworn in as Fed Chair at the White House—the first such ceremony since Greenspan in 1987—as markets hit records and experts debate his independence, rate policy, and reform agenda.
Key takeaways
- Kevin Warsh was sworn in as the 17th Federal Reserve Chair at the White House—the first such ceremony held there since Alan Greenspan in 1987—raising immediate questions about Fed independence under a president publicly demanding rate cuts.
- Fed Governor Christopher Waller signaled openness to rate hikes if inflation expectations become unanchored, while market consensus expects rates on hold through at least the next FOMC meeting, putting Warsh in an early tension between Trump's easing pressure and sticky inflation driven partly by the U.S.-Iran conflict.
- Warsh's reform agenda centers on reducing forward guidance and dot plots, shrinking the Fed's balance sheet, and modernizing data collection—changes analysts expect to unfold gradually over 2026–2027 rather than immediately.
Why this matters
The Warsh Fed's credibility on inflation independence will directly shape long-end Treasury yields, corporate borrowing costs, and risk-asset valuations at a moment when energy price shocks, record deficit spending, and a steepening yield curve are already complicating the macro outlook for B2B capital allocation.
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Show notes
President Trump holds a swearing-in ceremony for Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair at the White House. We discuss the challenges that lie ahead. Plus, should consumers expect higher for longer when it comes to energy prices? And could OpenAI turn out to be the WeWork of AI? One expert joins us to argue just that. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Themes
- openai
- investing