The Trump administration’s top economic advisory post is about to get a new permanent occupant. Christopher Phelan, an economics professor at the University of Minnesota and a longtime adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, is approaching Senate confirmation as the nominee to chair the Council of Economic Advisers.
Trump nominated Phelan on April 21, 2026. His confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee took place around June 25, 2026, putting him in the final stretch of a process that has left the CEA without a confirmed permanent leader for months.
Who is Christopher Phelan, and what does the CEA actually do?
Think of the Council of Economic Advisers as the president’s internal economics department. Its chair’s job is to translate complex macroeconomic data into policy recommendations on issues like inflation, wages, employment, and fiscal strategy.
The position has had a revolving door lately. Stephen Miran, who previously held the chair, departed in September 2025 to join the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Pierre Yared stepped in as acting chair after Miran’s exit and has held the role since, filling the gap while the administration worked through the nomination process. Yared will step down once Phelan moves through confirmation.
