National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Sunday that whether the Trump administration has the authority to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is "being looked into."

"But certainly, if there's cause, he does," Hassett said on ABC News' "This Week " of Trump's authority to remove Powell before his term is up next spring.

President Donald Trump has said that he does not want to fire Powell, but Hassett's comments suggest the White House is still considering — and potentially moving towards — the possibility.

Top Trump administration officials have escalated their criticisms of Powell in recent days, in particular by targeting the Federal Reserve's $2.5 billion renovation project , which Hassett said has gone over budget by $700 million.

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