U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he would not fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, though he told reporters following a visit to the U.S. central bank's headquarters that he still wanted lower interest rates.

The president turned a rare visit to the U.S. central bank into political theater that included hard hats and a back slap.

President Trump and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell made an awkward pair Thursday as they toured a grossly over-budget renovation of the central bank’s headquarters near the White House — with Trump initally hinting he might fire Powell before saying later he would not.