Trump vs the Fed, and the Treasury's debt buybacks

Aug 19, 2026

Trump is pushing the Fed to cut interest rates while the Treasury steps in to buy back government debt — a bad sign for the dollar and for anyone holding savings in cash.

  • Trump is publicly demanding rate cuts even though the economy looks fine, and good news has never been a reason for the Fed to cut.
  • The Fed only cuts when things are breaking; cutting now would spark borrowing and push inflation much higher.
  • The Treasury is doubling the size of its debt buybacks starting in September, effectively becoming the buyer of last resort to hold rates down.
  • Government bond yields have climbed hard this year and barely dipped on the news, which suggests the plan is not working.
  • Japan's currency troubles are spilling over — the US may end up buying back Treasuries that Japan needs to sell.

Outlook: Expect more Treasury intervention and continued pressure on the dollar, with a slow grind lower rather than a sudden crash.

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