Yellen deflects question on whether she would remain at Fed

Janet Yellen's four-year term as chair expires on February 3. Photo / Getty Images

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen declined to say whether she would serve a second term at the helm of the US central bank if asked to stay on by President Donald Trump.

"I fully intend to serve out my term as chair," Yellen said at a press conference Wednesday in Washington, adding, "I have not had conversations with the president about future plans."

Yellen's four-year term as chair expires on February 3.

Trump has not indicated if he'll re-appoint Yellen or name his own choice to lead the US central bank, though he told the Wall Street Journal in April that he'd not ruled out keeping her in place.

Top White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said the administration hadn't yet focused on the question.

In response to a separate question, Yellen said she hoped the White House would move soon to nominate candidates for three current vacancies on the Fed's Board of Governors.

"I do hope very much there will be nominations in the not-too-distant future and that the Senate will take them up expeditiously," she said.

Trump's nominees for the Fed chair and governor posts would be subject to Senate confirmation.