Credited from: SCMP
President Donald Trump is intensifying his efforts to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, particularly following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that previously obstructed his attempts. The new actions stem from allegations of mortgage fraud against Cook, whom Trump has accused of making false statements about her primary residences in Georgia and Michigan. A letter from Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino provided Cook with a deadline of August 26 to respond to these accusations, which her legal team has called "baseless," according to CBS News, Reuters, and NPR.
The legal backdrop includes a Supreme Court ruling in June, which effectively preserved Cook's position at the Fed while her lawsuit against Trump progresses. The court, in a narrow 5-4 decision, concluded that Trump had "failed to afford Cook the procedural protections to which she was entitled" and highlighted the necessity of due process in such matters. Chief Justice John Roberts indicated that Cook's ability to contest the charges against her is crucial, according to South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.
The allegations against Cook were initially raised by Bill Pulte, a senior housing official aligned with Trump, who suggested that she had committed mortgage fraud. Cook's attorney, Abbe Lowell, asserts that the allegations lack any valid basis and reflect a political motivation behind Trump's actions to challenge Fed independence, according to Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.
Cook has publicly defended her actions, citing her rights and suggesting that Trump's motives may stem from her unwillingness to conform to his monetary policy preferences. She emphasized that these accusations are a pretext for his attempts to exercise political control over a central bank typically insulated from such pressures. Trump's campaign against Cook marks an unprecedented challenge to the Federal Reserve's long-standing operational independence since its establishment in 1913, as highlighted by multiple sources including CBS News, Reuters, and NPR.