Chicago – January 22, 2026
The US Supreme Court on Wednesday indicated it is unlikely to allow President Donald Trump to immediately remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, signaling strong skepticism toward the administration’s legal arguments.
During a more than two-hour hearing, all nine justices across ideological lines raised concerns about Trump’s assertion that he holds absolute authority to dismiss members of the Fed’s governing board. Both conservative and liberal justices questioned whether such power aligns with the Federal Reserve’s longstanding independence from political pressure.
Trump announced last August on his Truth Social platform that he was firing Cook, alleging she had committed mortgage fraud prior to her 2022 appointment. The administration later sought emergency approval from the Supreme Court to enforce her removal.
Cook, an economist and the first Black woman to serve on the Fed’s board, has firmly denied the allegations through her legal team. Her lawyers argue that the claims are unfounded and that her removal would undermine the central bank’s independence.
While the Supreme Court has previously allowed Trump to remove leaders of other federal agencies, the justices appeared reluctant to extend that authority to the Federal Reserve. Their hesitation suggests the court views the Fed as distinct due to its unique role in managing monetary policy free from direct political control.
