The US Federal Reserve is poised to make its first interest rate cut of 2025 on Wednesday, but it battles competing forces in the path forward -- with heightened political pressure and likely divisions among its ranks.

There is little doubt that the US central bank will lower rates at the end of its two-day policy meeting, and markets widely expect a 25 basis points reduction spurred by a weakening employment market.

Less certain, however, are the pace and size of further cuts to come.

For a start, moves by President Donald Trump cast uncertainty over the Fed's rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) until hours before officials were due to convene early Tuesday.

Trump, who has pushed over months for the central bank to slash rates, moved in August to fire Fed Governor Lisa C

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