WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell defended the central bank’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic Sunday in a Princeton University speech in which he also praised government employees and U.S. universities, both of which have been targeted by the Trump administration.

The comments to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit came in a case regarding Donald Trump's ability to fire members of independent boards.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, in a Princeton speech, defends the central bank’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and praises government workers and U.S. universities, both targets of Trump.