`Talented' Yellen in Running to Remain Fed Chair, Mnuchin Says

(Bloomberg) -- Janet Yellen is among the contenders being considered by President Donald Trump to run the U.S. central bank after her current term as Federal Reserve chair expires in February, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

“I’m working closely with the president on the issue. He hasn’t made any decisions and that’s one of the things he’s still considering,” Mnuchin said when asked if Yellen could be re-appointed. “There’s a lot of good people.”

Yellen “is obviously quite talented and she’s being considered, but there’s a lot of great people we’ve been meeting with and considering as well,” he added, speaking during an interview at a CNBC Delivering Alpha event in New York on Tuesday.

Bloomberg reported Friday that the White House was considering at least a half-dozen candidates to lead the central bank.

Yellen, who had a hour-long breakfast meeting with Trump daughter and adviser Ivanka on July 17, has declined to comment on her future. Eight days after that breakfast, Trump told the Wall Street Journal that Yellen was “absolutely” in the running for the top Fed top.

Trump also said that White House economic aide Gary Cohn was a contender, among others. Since then, Cohn’s prospects have clouded after he publicly criticized remarks the president made in the wake of racially charged violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. Mnuchin declined to comment on Cohn’s candidacy for the central bank.

“I will respect the confidentiality of the process and not make comments on the specific people the president is considering,” Mnuchin said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Saleha Mohsin in Washington at smohsin2@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Murray at brmurray@bloomberg.net, Alister Bull, Sarah McGregor