Istanbul, July 20 () - US President Donald Trump criticized the US Federal Reserve (Fed) in comments aired Thursday, saying its course of interest rate increases counteracted his efforts at growing the economy. The rare rebuke was likely to stir a backlash, as it broke with the long-established practice of the executive branch not commenting on the Federal Reserve's decisions out of respect for its independence. "I'm not thrilled," Trump told CNBC in an interview excerpt aired Thursday. "Because we go up and every time you go up they want to raise rates again." "I'm not happy about it. But at the same time I'm letting them do what they feel is best." The Fed is now chaired by Trump appointee Jerome Powell, whom Trump described as "a very good man."