Trump Renews Threat to Remove Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve: What's Behind This Latest Attempt?

Type to search articles, cases, and authors.

President Donald Trump has renewed his effort to fire Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. The Supreme Court on June 29 temporarily thwarted Trump’s initial effort to remove Cook, emphasizing the need for the Federal Reserve to remain free of political influence. In a letter dated Aug. 5, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino notified Cook that Trump was “considering” whether to remove her from the Board of Governors. Scavino gave Cook 21 days to respond to the White House’s allegations that she committed mortgage fraud in 2021, before she joined the Fed, by listing two different homes – a condo in Georgia and a house in Michigan – as her primary residence on mortgage applications, making her eligible for more favorable terms.

Cook has strongly disputed the mortgage fraud allegations, and other financial records appear to undermine the Trump administration’s claims.

Scavino’s letter cited the court’s decision in Trump v. Cook, in which the majority ruled that “Cook was entitled to notice and some opportunity to respond prior to her termination.” The opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts stressed that Cook would not necessarily be “entitled to an audience with the President or a full-blown judicial trial.” Instead, Roberts wrote, “[a]ll that is required is ‘the right to support [her] allegations by argument however brief, and, if need be, by proof, however informal,’ before a final decision is made.”

Noting that the August 2025 criminal referral by William Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and his letter “set forth the allegations,” Scavino told Cook that “[t]his is your opportunity to respond. You may provide any evidence or other supporting documentation you wish to be considered, and you may provide any argument that you wish to be considered to the President through the Director of Presidential Personnel no later than August 26, 2026.”

Cook’s lawyers, Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen, confirmed that she received Scavino’s letter on Friday. In a statement to SCOTUSblog, they contended that the allegations against Cook are “as baseless now as they were a year ago when President Trump tried to remove Governor Cook to interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve. No matter what President Trump tries to do next, this much is clear under the facts and Supreme Court precedent — there is no valid cause for removing Governor Cook. As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed."

Amy Howe is the co-founder of SCOTUSblog and its primary reporter.

Recommended Citation: Amy Howe, Trump informs Lisa Cook that he is “considering” her removal, SCOTUSblog (Aug. 7, 2026, 4:44 PM), https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/08/trump-informs-lisa-cook-that-he-is-considering-her-removal/

Stay informed on every decision.

Receive essential Court news every morning.

The premier source for Supreme Court news, analysis, and data since 2002. Independent and non-partisan.

© 2026 SCOTUSblog. All rights reserved.

Tell us a bit about yourself and choose what you’d like to hear from us. You can change any of it any time in your account.