US interest rates have been raised for the first time in more than three years and could be increased further in a bid to slow rising prices. Rates were hiked to 3.75%-4% from 3.5%-3.75% by the Federal Reserve in a unanimous decision, despite fierce opposition from President Donald Trump, who had called for rates to be cut.
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said the move was because “inflation is too high and has been for too long”, adding that it was a “sober” and “responsible decision”.
After the announcement, Trump expressed support for Warsh but said the Fed board, which votes on rate decisions, was “hostile”.
Higher interest rates make borrowing more expensive for people wanting to secure loans, mortgages, and credit cards, but can lead to better returns on savings.
Warsh said during a press conference on Wednesday following the decision that, while there was “an attitude of optimism” within the Fed leadership, inflation remained a problem.
Like many central banks, the Fed has a target of keeping inflation at 2% or below. Warsh noted that US inflation has been above the target “for more than five years”.
That has helped make affordability one of the top concerns of American voters, who have seen fuel prices surge in response to soaring wholesale oil prices since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. This has driven up the cost of many goods and services, as well.
While the Fed “cannot affect any individual price – whether it be oil prices, whether it be food stuffs at the grocery store”, Warsh said, the central bank can work to keep price rises from broadening across the economy.
He added that strength in the jobs market and wider economy meant the Fed was staying focused on stabilising prices, and that those least well off had the most to gain from lower inflation.
Central banks tend to increase rates when inflation is high to discourage spending and encourage saving, in the hope this will reduce the pace of price rises. But it’s a balancing act, as higher rates can also encourage businesses to hold off on investing and hurt economic growth.
What the higher rate means for Americans
When he was confirmed, Democratic lawmakers had said Warsh would be Trump’s “sock puppet” and many Fed watchers expected him to carry out Trump’s persistent demands to slash rates. Trump had been heavily critical of Warsh’s predecessor Jerome Powell for not cutting them.
Asked on Wednesday about the message the rate hike sent to Trump, Warsh chuckled before saying: “I have got nothing for you on a discussion with the president.”
Trump told reporters later “I’m relying on Kevin [Warsh], but he’s got, you know, a very tough board”.
“And the, interest rates are too high. They’re not appropriate… I talked to Kevin and I said, ‘you might as well vote with the board because it’s not going to matter.’ The board is very hostile, they’re very political,” he added.
Earlier, Trump said on social media: “LOWER THE INTEREST RATES FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND FAST!”
Democrats on Capitol Hill said the rate increase would make loans costlier and, in turn, more Americans would go into debt.
“This is going to make everything become more expensive,” said Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate. “This is because Donald Trump does not know how to manage the economy.”
The Fed’s hike is the first rate move in any direction since they were cut in December 2025. The last time they were raised was in July 2023.
The increase could help push up mortgage rates for home buyers and lead to Americans paying more on other types of debt.
Major US banks JP Morgan, KeyCorp, and BNY all raised their prime lending rate on Wednesday to 7% from 6.75%, which will affect rates charged on credit cards and personal loans.
Mortgage costs have climbed over the past year but remain below peaks seen in 2023. A 30-year fixed deal is 6.76% on average, while a 15-year deal is 6.09%, according to figures from Freddie Mac.
Many US homeowners have 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, and changes to interest rates will not impact their monthly repayments. But higher rates could affect those looking to secure a new mortgage or refinance.
Warsh declined to provide his own view on where he saw the Fed’s rates going, but the majority of his fellow policymakers said they believe rates would be hiked again before the end of this year to between 4-4.25%.
A small majority also said rates could rise further to the 4.25-4.5% next year, before cuts begin in 2028 and 2029.
The forecast suggested price rises will ease in the coming years, with inflation, the measure used to assess the cost of living, predicted to fall steadily to the Fed’s target by 2029.
The US Fed is not alone in facing rising inflation since the Iran war, with the European Central Bank raising rates last week and the Bank of England set to make its own decision on Thursday.
By BBC News
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