The US Department of Justice has officially closed its criminal investigation into Jerome Powell, the Chair of the Federal Reserve, which was centered on budget overruns related to renovations at the Fed's headquarters. Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, announced the closure, stating that her office would not hesitate to reopen the investigation if warranted. The inquiry, which began in January following Powell's subpoena, was criticized for being a pretext to exert political pressure on the Federal Reserve regarding interest rate policies. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, had indicated he would block the nomination of Trump's pick, Kevin Warsh, until the investigation was resolved. Warsh, who has expressed a desire for lower interest rates, raises concerns among Democrats about maintaining the Fed's independence. Despite the investigation's end, the ongoing conflict between Trump and the Fed continues, with the Supreme Court expected to rule on the constitutionality of Trump's firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook by June.