By Nick Timiraos and Lindsay Wise
Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) said Sunday he would support Kevin Warsh's confirmation as Federal Reserve chair, clearing the last significant obstacle to installing President Trump's pick to succeed Jerome Powell.
Tillis had withheld his vote for months, saying he wouldn't advance any Fed nominee while the Justice Department's criminal investigation of Powell remained open. The probe appeared to end on Friday, when U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said her office was closing its inquiry into Powell's testimony to Congress about the Fed's building renovations and referring the matter to the Fed's inspector general. The inspector general, who reports to Powell, had already been conducting an audit at Powell's request since July.
In a statement Sunday, Tillis said he took the Justice Department "at its word" that the investigation is closed and that any appeal of a federal judge's March ruling against the probe's grand jury subpoenas "will be with respect to legal principles and not for the purpose of reissuing subpoenas." He said that only a criminal referral from the inspector general would justify reopening the case. "With these assurances, I look forward to supporting Kevin Warsh's confirmation," Tillis said.
The probe's status had remained ambiguous in the hours after Pirro's Friday announcement. Trump told reporters Saturday that the case was "not dropped."
Tillis's statement clears the path to confirm Warsh by May 15, when Powell's term as chair expires. Republicans hold a 13-11 majority on the Senate Banking Committee; Tillis's prior opposition would have stalled the nomination there. The committee has scheduled a vote on Warsh's nomination for Wednesday, which would allow for a floor vote the week of May 11. The Senate isn't scheduled to be in session for the first week of May.
Write to Nick Timiraos at Nick.Timiraos@wsj.com and Lindsay Wise at lindsay.wise@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 26, 2026 10:44 ET (14:44 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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