The Trump administration is advancing plans to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from her position, two months after the Supreme Court issued a decision permitting her to remain in office while she pursues legal challenges to her firing.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Cook’s favor, allowing her to retain her post during the litigation process. Chief Justice John Roberts noted in his opinion that President Donald Trump retained the option to attempt removing her again if proper notice and opportunity to contest the action were provided. Following the decision, Trump indicated his intention to pursue additional removal efforts.
A White House letter delivered this week by aide Dan Scavino informed Cook that Trump was “considering removing you from your position” and established August 26 as the deadline for her to respond, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s procedural requirements.
The removal effort stems from a criminal referral issued last August by Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, contending that Cook engaged in mortgage fraud by designating two residences—one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and another in Atlanta—as “primary residence.” Primary residence designations can result in more favorable mortgage terms compared to properties classified as secondary or vacation homes.
Cook’s legal team has disputed the allegations, arguing she has predominantly resided at the Ann Arbor property since purchasing it in 2005 and that her designation of it as primary residence in a 2021 refinance application was accurate. Regarding the Atlanta property purchased a month later, her attorney noted that a subsequent reference to it as primary residence constituted an “isolated notation” inconsistent with intent to defraud, pointing to earlier documentation classifying it as a vacation home. Cook’s lawyer characterized the administration’s renewed removal effort as a “pretext” and pledged to challenge it using the same legal strategy employed in the previous court proceeding.
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