While the Federal Reserve operates with a significant degree of independence, it is still subject to oversight and influence by the US government. The strategic deployment of the US's oil reserves, for instance, demonstrates that the government does possess tools to exert economic influence independently of the Fed. Additionally, the rise of decentralized financial technologies and alternative currencies like Bitcoin presents new avenues for bypassing traditional banking systems. While it would be complex and potentially destabilizing, it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility for the government to leverage these alternatives in a manner that could challenge the status quo maintained by the Federal Reserve.