WATCH: Trump lashes out at Federal Reserve in speech to Detroit Economic Club

Politics

President Donald Trump lashed out at the Federal Reserve during a speech in Detroit on Thursday.

Watch the full speech in our video player above.

The president essentially accused the Fed of stealing his joy by not being bullish about lowering interest rates.

READ MORE: Trump will visit a Ford factory and promote manufacturing in Detroit

"If you announce great numbers, they raise interest rates," Trump said in the speech. "When the market goes up, they should lower rates."

Trump has disagreed sharply with the interest rate strategy of the independent Fed, chaired by Jerome Powell, and has pressed for lower rates, faster. He maintains that a rising stock market should cause the Fed to cut its benchmark interest rates in order to further boost economic growth.

READ MORE: Inflation cooled slightly in December but remains above Fed's target

But the Fed has the legal responsibility of keeping prices stable and maximizing employment. Slashing rates as Trump has suggested could push more money into the U.S. economy and worsen inflation.

Trump says he plans to announce health care plan this week

The president didn't specify when he will announce his plan but he and Republicans have been under increasing pressure to address Americans' health care costs, especially as subsidies for those who get coverage under the Affordable Care Act expired at the end of last year.

Trump reiterated his wish to have money be sent directly to consumers to buy health insurance rather than sending money to insurers.

READ MORE: Sen. Elizabeth Warren says Trump called her and talked credit card rates, housing costs

He also promoted his agreements with various drug manufacturers to lower the costs of their prescription drugs in the U.S. and said his party should win midterm elections this year based on that alone.

"We should win the midterms in a landslide," he said.

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WATCH: Trump lashes out at Federal Reserve in speech to Detroit Economic Club first appeared on the PBS News website.

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