Tillis Withdraws Opposition to Warsh's Fed Chair Nomination After DOJ Closes Powell Probe

Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced on Sunday, April 26, 2026, that he is dropping his opposition to confirming Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair, clearing a key hurdle after the Department of Justice ended its investigation into current chair Jerome Powell regarding the central bank's building renovations.

Tillis stated on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he is prepared to move on with the confirmation of Kevin Warsh and believes Warsh will be a great Fed chair. He added that he looks forward to supporting Kevin Warsh’s confirmation for Fed chair, as posted on social media.

Tillis further stated he is prepared to move on with the confirmation of President Trump's Fed chair nominee after the DOJ ends the Powell probe. The Senate Banking Committee is set to vote on advancing Kevin Warsh's nomination on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

Kevin Warsh, a former member of the Fed’s board of governors, was nominated by President Donald Trump in January 2026 to be Federal Reserve chair.

Jerome Powell's term as Federal Reserve chair is scheduled to end on May 15, 2026, though his term as a Fed governor lasts until January 2028. President Donald Trump appointed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair in 2017. President Trump accused Jerome Powell of improper cost overruns in renovating the Fed's building.

9 billion. Jerome Powell requested the inspector general’s review of the renovation project in July 2025. A federal judge quashed Justice Department subpoenas to the Fed in the Powell investigation last month, in April 2026.

Tillis called the DOJ’s decision to shift the Jerome Powell investigation to the inspector general a necessary and appropriate measure. Tillis, who announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, opposed President Trump’s tax and spending cuts bill in June 2025 over Medicaid reductions.