WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was “highly unlikely” to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a public statement made less than 24 hours after suggesting in a private meeting that he was leaning in favor of dismissing the head of the nation’s central bank.

Economists interviewed by Newsweek warned that removing Powell now would roil markets, erode trust in U.S. institutions and ultimately hurt ordinary Americans.

President Trump asked a group of Republican lawmakers how they felt about him firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and told them he would "likely" fire Powell "soon," according to two White House officials and sources familiar with the Tuesday evening meeting.