(Reuters) – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had two previously undisclosed phone calls with U.S. President Trump in February, calendars released on Friday show, including a brief call during the last week of the month when it was becoming clearer that the coronavirus would likely have more than a transitory effect on the U.S. economy.
The two spoke for a half hour on February 7 and again on February 26. Two days later Powell released a statement acknowledging evolving risks from the virus and promising the central bank would act as appropriate to support the economy. It delivered an emergency rate cut on March 3.
(Reporting by Ann Saphir; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
