Trump Can’t Fire Lisa Cook For Now, Rules Supreme Court: Fed Governor Says, ‘Refused To Bow To Political Pressure’

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump‘s bid to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from the Fed’s Board of Governors.

In a 5-4 ruling, the court said Trump had not followed the procedures required under federal law to remove Cook from the Fed’s board, according to a Reuters News report.

Supreme Court Sides With Cook

Chief Justice John Roberts, who authored the ruling, said Trump had “failed to afford Cook the procedural protections to which she was entitled by statute.”

The dispute stems from Trump’s August 2025 attempt to remove Cook over alleged mortgage fraud, which she denies.

The ruling returns the case to lower courts, where Cook can challenge the allegations.

Roberts added that the Federal Reserve governors do not serve “at the president’s pleasure” and may be removed only “for cause.”

Trump, Cook React To Decision

Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the Supreme Court returned the case on “a strictly procedural basis” and vowed to “take appropriate action immediately” to ensure “someone who has committed wrongdoing” does not make decisions affecting the U.S. economy.

Cook rejected Trump’s characterization, saying the case “was never about mortgage documents signed years before I became a Federal Reserve governor,” according to Reuters.

She called the allegations “a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure.”

Decision Puts Focus On Fed Independence

Roberts said the Federal Reserve’s removal protections help preserve the central bank’s independence.

He added that the court saw “no reason to leave the public in limbo, or to sow doubt as to the status of one of our nation’s (and the world’s) most important financial institutions,” the report added.

Trump’s effort marked the first attempt by a U.S. president to remove a sitting Federal Reserve governor.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) said on X that the ruling confirmed Trump’s attempt to fire Cook was illegal, adding that his effort to take over the Federal Reserve “is far from over.”

Even a Supreme Court stacked by Donald Trump agrees that his attempt to fire Lisa Cook was illegal. Donald Trump and his lackey Bill Pulte have now failed to fire former Chair Jerome Powell and Governor Cook.

This case is a reminder that Pulte cannot be trusted and should be…

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 29, 2026

Trump has repeatedly criticized the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate policy under former Chair Jerome Powell while calling for lower borrowing costs.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo Courtesy: noamgalai on Shutterstock.com