Trump considers moving forward with removal of Fed Governor Lisa Cook

August 8, 2026 - 00:28

President Trump is pressing ahead with plans to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from her post, even after the Supreme Court declined to fast-track the case. The high court's decision means Cook can stay on the job while she fights the administration's attempt to fire her, but the White House is not backing down.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the president is now considering a fresh legal route to force Cook out, possibly by filing a new challenge in a lower court or by seeking an expedited ruling on the underlying question of whether the president has the authority to remove Fed governors without cause. The administration has argued that Cook's policy positions, particularly on inflation and bank regulation, are out of step with the president's economic agenda.

Cook, who was appointed by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2022, has denied any wrongdoing and says her removal is politically motivated. Her lawyers have called the administration's actions an unlawful intrusion on the Federal Reserve's independence. Legal experts say the case could set a major precedent for how much control the White House has over the central bank. If Trump succeeds, it would mark the first time a sitting president has removed a Fed governor against her will in decades. The Fed itself has not commented, but current and former officials warn that such a move could shake confidence in the institution's ability to set monetary policy free from political pressure.