White House sends letter to Lisa Cook threatening to fire her
President Donald trump has notified Federal Reserve Governor lisa Cook that he is considering removing her from her position due to allegations of mortgage fraud, with a three-week window for her to respond before a final decision is made. The White House alleged that Cook made false statements on mortgage applications, citing a criminal referral from 2025 reviewed by Trump. This move follows a Supreme Court ruling that allowed Trump to attempt her removal again, emphasizing that Cook had been aware of the allegations since August 2025 but had not responded. Cook’s attorney dismissed the charges, asserting they are baseless and vowed to contest any removal attempt, defending her and the independence of the Federal Reserve.
President Donald Trump has notified Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook that he is considering removing her from the central bank over allegations of mortgage fraud, and has given her three weeks to respond before making a final decision.
In an Aug. 5 letter, the White House told Cook there was “sufficient reason to believe” she made false statements on one or more mortgage applications and directed her to submit a written response with supporting evidence within 21 days.
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“Pursuant to the Supreme Court’s opinion from June 29, 2026, you are hereby provided notice that the President is considering removing you from your position on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve due to there being sufficient reason to believe that you made false statements on one or more mortgage agreements,” the letter states.
The letter points to an Aug. 15, 2025, criminal referral from former Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte to the Justice Department, which Trump said he reviewed before concluding there was reason to believe Cook may have committed mortgage fraud.
“The President has reviewed the allegations in the Criminal Referral, and believes there is reason to believe you may have made false statements on one or more mortgage agreements,” the letter says.
The move follows a Supreme Court ruling in late June that left open the possibility for Trump to renew his effort to remove Cook. In a 5-4 decision, the court upheld a lower court order temporarily blocking Cook’s dismissal while her lawsuit proceeds. However, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the ruling did not prevent Trump from attempting to remove her again if he first gave her notice of the allegations and an opportunity to respond.
“Only after Cook has had the opportunity to respond to the charges made against her … may a final decision be made,” Roberts wrote. “And only then can the courts assess the validity and sufficiency of such charges.”
The White House letter emphasizes that Cook has been aware of the allegations since at least Aug. 25, 2025, but says she has not offered an explanation.
“You have known since at least August 25, 2025, about these allegations. Yet, even though it has been over 10 months, you have never provided an explanation for this serious misconduct,” the letter states. “This is your opportunity to respond.”
Cook’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, dismissed the allegations and vowed to challenge any attempt to remove her.
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“These allegations are as baseless now as they were a year ago when President Trump tried to remove Governor Cook and interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve,” Lowell said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
“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,” he added. “As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed.”
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