All eyes are on Kevin Warsh who will be having his first conference as a Fed Chair. Investors, economists, and markets are closely watching Warsh’s first press conference as it will reveal what he sees as the biggest challenges facing the U.S. economy. Warsh is expected to provide less detailed guidance about future rate moves than previous Fed leaders usually did.Fed rate decision is in focus as Kevin Warsh leads his first meeting as chair. (Bloomberg/Representative image) (Bloomberg)The Fed is in a difficult position right now. The U.S. economy has added a good number of jobs for three months in a row, but inflation has also been going up. Because of this, most experts expect the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged at 3.5% to 3.75%, according to USA Today. If the Fed decides not to change rates, it will continue the same approach it has followed throughout 2026.What time will US Fed announce interest rate decision?The second day of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) June meeting begun at 9am EST Wednesday (June 17). The Fed’s interest rate decision is scheduled to be announced at 2pm EST, (11:00am PDT, 1:00am CDT.)Kevin Warsh’s first official press conference as Fed chair is set to begin at 2:30pm EST, (11:30am. PDT, 1:30pm CDT).Fed interest ratesThe federal funds rate is important because it influences borrowing costs across the country, affecting loans, mortgages, credit cards, and other interest rates. This meeting is also being seen as the first major test of the Fed’s independence under Warsh’s leadership.President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for interest rate cuts, but Fed policymakers are expected to resist those demands and keep rates steady, as per the report by USA Today. Economists are watching closely to see whether the Fed continues making decisions based on economic data rather than political pressure.Also read: Trump to shut down Education Dept. in 2026? Odds rise on Polymarket after latest restructuringsThe Fed last reduced interest rates three times in 2025. Each of those three rate cuts was a quarter-percentage-point reduction.Fed rate cut historyThe most recent Fed rate cut took place in December 2025. The main reason for those cuts was concern that the U.S. labor market was slowing down. During 2025, American employers added an average of only 15,000 jobs per month, which raised worries about weaker economic growth. The Fed often lowers rates when it wants to make borrowing cheaper and encourage spending, investment, and hiring.Since the December 2025 rate cut, the labor market has improved significantly. U.S. employers have added more than 100,000 jobs per month on average in 2026 so far, as noted by USA Today. The stronger job market is one of the biggest reasons why Fed officials are expected to hold rates steady rather than cut them again.Warsh’s comments today could be just as important as the rate decision itself because markets are looking for clues about how he plans to lead the central bank in the months ahead. The meeting is expected to give the clearest picture yet of Warsh’s approach to balancing inflation concerns, job growth, and political pressure as the new head of the Federal Reserve.