Trump calls Fed's Powell 'most improved player'

President Donald Trump praised Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Wednesday as "most improved player" in his ministration, saying he only disagrees with Fed chair "one one thing w:" negative interest rates.

"He has done a very good job over last couple of months, I have to tell you that," Trump said during a Cabinet Room meeting with goverrs of Coloro and rth Dakota.

"Because I have been critical, but in many ways I call him my 'MIP.' Do you kw what an MIP is? Most improved player. It's called Most Improved Player award," he said.

But president told reporters he still disagrees with Powell on issue of negative interest rates.

Powell shot down idea of cutting Fed's short-term interest rate, which is w near zero, into negative territory, as central banks in Europe and Japan have done.

Such a move would require banks to pay interest on cash reserves that y hold at Fed. That would be intended to encour m to lend money inste. Yet negative rates appear to have done little to stimulate ecomies of countries that have opted m.

Trump has frequently expressed his desire for Fed to opt negative rates, insisting U.S. is at a disvant against competitive countries like Germany and Japan which have alrey implemented m.

president also told reporters he misses Vice President Mike Pence since Pence went into self-isolation after an aide was diagsed with coronavirus last Friday.

Asked how long two planned to stay apart, Trump was unsure, calling it an "interesting question.

"I haven't seen Mike Pence and I miss him," Trump said. "I guess we said for a little while we'll stay apart because you don't kw what happens with this very crazy and horrible disease. But we speak a lot on phone."