The exchange with Lou Dobbs was another striking instance of the president looking outside the West Wing for advice on his pending Fed chair nomination. | Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images Trump asks Fox Business host for advice on Fed chair pick 'I would love to hear you. I only want that from people I respect,' the president told Dobbs.

President Donald Trump solicited advice from Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs on Wednesday on whom he should pick as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, agreeing with Dobbs’ assessment that incumbent chair Janet Yellen “might be worth keeping” on in the role.

Trump, pressed on who plans to nominate for the upcoming vacancy during an interview on Fox Business, tossed the question over to Dobbs, asking what the host’s “preference” would be.


“I would love to hear you. I only want that from people I respect,” the president told Dobbs.

“I personally believe that Janet Yellen might be worth keeping,” Dobbs replied.

The president responded that Yellen “was very impressive” during their recent meeting in the Oval Office, adding, “I like her a lot.”

“I mean, it’s somebody that I am thinking about. I would certainly think about it,” Trump said of potentially reinstating Yellen as Fed chair.

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The exchange was another striking instance of the president looking outside the West Wing for advice on his pending Fed chair nomination.

The president asked lawmakers to partake in a show-of-hands poll on who they favored to head the Fed come February when Yellen’s current term expires – current Fed governor Jerome Powell or Stanford University professor John Taylor.

Despite Yellen’s “impressive” performance during her meeting, officials said last week that Trump was leaning toward picking Powell to lead the Federal Reserve. Powell has been heavily favored by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has headed up the search.

Trump’s Wednesday interview with Dobbs marked the 18th time he’s been interviewed on a Fox news television network since entering the White House – far outpacing his appearances on rivals MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC and CNN, which combined for only four interviews of President Trump, according to a count by CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.