Two of the conservatives on the Supreme Court have sided with the three liberal justices to rule against the president’s decision to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook while a lawsuit continues.
President Donald Trump has been trying to fire Cook since 2025 after she was accused of committing mortgage fraud through evidence gathered from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
‘Today’s decision is an unprecedented incursion on the executive branch.’
On Monday, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh ruled against the president being allowed to fire Cook while the litigation continued. Four other conservative justices dissented.
“Not only the fact of independence but also the appearance of independence is key to the Federal Reserve’s design,” wrote Roberts in the majority opinion.
He went on to assert that the president had not followed due process in firing Cook, which he indicated should have included offering an explanation for her removal, allowing her to respond, and setting up a deadline for the response. However, he also said in a footnote that the president could fire Cook if he tried again and followed due process.
The president responded in a post on Truth Social.
“The Cook Lawsuit, having to do with her suitability in sitting on the Board of the Federal Reserve, was sent back by the Supreme Court on a strictly procedural basis,” Trump wrote, “we will take appropriate action immediately to make sure that someone who has committed wrongdoing will not be making vital decisions concerning the Welfare of the United States of America!”
Roberts said the ruling was necessary to maintain the independence of the Federal Reserve and to assuage the public.
“Any change in that scheme must come from Congress, not the courts,” Roberts continued. “That is why we cannot accept the government’s contentions in this case. To do so would allow the president to remove a member of the Federal Reserve at any time, for any reason, without any notice before, and without any judicial check after.”
Justice Clarence Thomas called the arguments for the independence of the Federal Reserve unconstitutional.
“Today’s decision is an unprecedented incursion on the executive branch,” Thomas wrote in the dissent.
“Many do not share the court’s rosy appraisal of the past century. But if the court prefers an independent Federal Reserve Board, then its issue is not with the president but with the Constitution,” he added.
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Cook responded in a statement Monday that accused the president of acting out of political motivation.
“It was an attempt to remove me on a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure and continued to set interest rates based only on what would best serve the American people,” she wrote.
She has denied the allegations and has not been charged with any crime.
While the president has been demanding that the Federal Reserve lower interest rates, he has backed off on that campaign after some metrics showed inflation climbing to 4%.
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Federal reserve, Mortgage fraud, Supreme court, Politics, Lisa cook, Donald trump