The dramatic turn in the race for the next Federal Reserve Chair has taken a new twist. Kevin Hasset, who was previously widely favored, suddenly faces opposition from senior figures close to Trump.

Sources revealed that these individuals are concerned that Hasset’s close relationship with the President, as Director of the National Economic Council, has become a stumbling block for him. On the other hand, it was this very close connection that initially made him the top candidate to succeed current Fed Chair Powell. The candidate interviews were scheduled for early December but were later postponed and recently rescheduled.

The situation reversed last Friday. In an interview, Trump dropped a bombshell: former Fed Governor Kevin Wash is now tied with Hasset at the top of the list of Chair candidates. As soon as this statement was made, investors were completely stunned. Trump added, “I think both Kevins are very good.”

The reaction from the prediction markets shows how shocking this is. Data on Monday indicated Hasset’s chances dropped to 51%, a sharp decline from over 80% at the beginning of the month. In contrast, Wash’s support surged from about 11% in early December to 44%.

Interestingly, the opposition mainly manifests as support for Wash rather than outright criticism of Hasset. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, during an event last Thursday, gave positive remarks about both Kevins, but some of his statements made attendees feel that he actually favors the former Fed Governor Wash.