Trump Targets Fed Governor Lisa Cook in Politically Motivated Purge After Supreme Court Ruling
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The Trump White House has launched a targeted campaign against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, giving her three weeks to respond to dubious mortgage fraud allegations. This move comes as Trump seeks to undermine the independence of the Fed, despite a Supreme Court decision that limits presidential overreach.
President Donald Trump has escalated his assault on the independence of the Federal Reserve by initiating a campaign to remove Lisa Cook from the Board of Governors. In a move widely seen as politically motivated, the administration sent Cook a letter demanding she answer unsubstantiated allegations of mortgage fraud within three weeks. The notice, signed by Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, references the Supreme Court’s June decision that sought to protect Fed members from arbitrary removal, yet conveniently sidesteps the lack of evidence behind the accusations.
Chief Justice John Roberts made clear that any attempt to remove a Fed governor must follow due process, including notice and an opportunity to respond, but the substance of the allegations remains unaddressed. Trump, undeterred by legal norms, declared on social media his intent to take 'immediate action' to remove a governor he baselessly accused of 'wrongdoing,' further politicizing the central bank.
Cook’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, condemned the allegations as 'baseless,' vowing to fight the administration’s attempt to purge a qualified official for refusing to bow to political pressure on interest-rate decisions. Cook herself denounced the effort as a 'manufactured pretext,' exposing the administration’s willingness to weaponize the justice system against those who resist its agenda.
The allegations originate from Bill Pulte, a Trump-aligned director at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and a letter from DOJ official Ed Martin, both urging Fed Chair Jerome Powell to remove Cook. Previous attempts to oust her were blocked by lower courts, with a federal judge emphasizing the need to shield the Fed from political interference. Legal experts anticipate that Trump’s renewed attack will again test the Supreme Court’s commitment to protecting the central bank’s independence.