Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday said the central bank faces a "challenging situation" as a hiring slowdown coincides with tariff-driven price increases, putting pressure on both sides of the Fed's dual mission to maximize employment and control inflation.

There are 19 members of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee, 12 of whom vote on rate decisions. One of them, Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve’s Cleveland branch, said Friday in an interview with The Associated Press that she is committed to the Fed’s independence.