Barkin said the U.S. economy is steady after the Fed cut interest rates three times in 2019 to ward off the risks of the trade war with China and the global economic slowdown and that policymakers should be patient before making further changes.

"I want to see the impact of this before deciding to do something else," Barkin said after speaking to a group of bankers in Baltimore about his economic outlook.

Fed officials agreed unanimously to leave interest rates on hold at last month's policy meeting after cutting rates three times in 2019.

(Reporting by Jonnelle Marte; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)