Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) had indicated that he will support President Donald Trump’s nominee Kevin Warsh to serve as the next chair of the Federal Reserve.
While speaking with Semafor, Fetterman confirmed that he plans to vote to confirm Warsh when the nomination heads to a floor vote. The statement came after Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) indicated that he would advance Warsh’s nomination out of the Senate Banking Committee, ending a weeks-long holdout.
Trump nominated Warsh, a former Federal Reserve governor who served from 2006 to 2011, to succeed current Fed Chair Jerome Powell earlier this year. Warsh appeared before the Senate Banking Committee for his confirmation hearing on April 21, during which he discussed monetary policy, Federal Reserve independence and his experience in navigating the 2008 financial crisis.
Warsh testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on April 21, 2026
On Wednesday, the Senate Banking Committee voted 13-11 along party lines to advance Warsh’s nomination to the full Senate. All Republican members voted in favor, while Democratic members opposed the motion.
Tillis, who had previously opposed the nomination due to a Justice Department probe focused on Powell, confirmed over the weekend that he was confident the probe would not continue. The senator had otherwise praised Warsh’s qualifications and described him as an “excellent” nominee.
Fetterman’s support adds a bipartisan element to the floor vote, which is expected to occur in the coming days. A simple majority is required for confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Fetterman’s vote would make him the only Democrat publicly committed to supporting the nominee at this stage.
Powell’s term as chair is set to end on May 15. If confirmed in advance of that date, Warsh is expected to assume the chair position shortly thereafter. Warsh would also serve a 14-year term as a member of the Board of Governors that began earlier this year.
Powell’s term as a governor continues until January 2028, and it remains to be determined whether he will remain in that role following the end of his chairmanship.
