By Howard Schneider WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller, an advocate for an immediate interest rate cut, said on Friday he would accept the job as head of the U.S. central bank if asked by President Donald Trump,

A Federal Reserve governor seen as a candidate to succeed Chair Jerome Powell laid out his strongest case yet for a rate cut this month, aligning himself with President Trump's demands that the central bank lower interest rates.

Fed officials will gather July 29-30 in Washington. Waller’s remarks set him apart from most of his fellow policymakers, who have characterized the employment landscape as still solid.