U.S. President Trump hinted that if the commission letters of Federal Reserve governors appointed by former President Biden were signed by an automatic signing machine, he might seek to remove them from office. This is his latest attempt to strengthen control over the central bank. However, this move is unlikely to succeed.

Trump previously claimed he would revoke executive orders signed by Biden using an automatic signing machine, but aside from drawing attention, it had little effect. Any attempt to declare appointments approved by the Senate invalid would almost certainly face legal challenges from the appointees.

Nevertheless, these remarks represent Trump’s latest intrusion into the independence of the central bank.

At a political rally in Pennsylvania, Trump said, “I heard that those commission letters might have been signed by an automatic signing machine. If it really was signed by an automatic signing machine — maybe I’m wrong, but we will find out.”

According to procedures, after a nominee is approved by the Senate, the president completes the appointment process by signing the commission letters to officially establish their federal office. Trump then implied that if officials he appointed were similarly signed by an automatic signing machine, he might “throw them out.” He asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who attended the rally with him, to investigate the matter.

“Can you check on that?” Trump continued. “Scott, okay, because I heard the automatic signing machine might have signed all four, or some of them — let’s just check two. So check on this.”

The Federal Reserve declined to comment.