Christopher James Phelan is an American economist, academic, and U.S. government official whose research focuses on macroeconomic theory, monetary economics, limited government commitment, and reputation. He is a professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Minnesota, where he served as department chair from 2012 to 2021. Phelan serves as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) in the Executive Office of the President of the United States, succeeding Acting Chairman Pierre Yared.