Fed Gov Lisa Cook’s lawyer fires back at Trump's renewed threat to oust her

Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook participates in a board meeting at the Federal Reserve on March 19, 2026 in Washington, DC.Kevin Dietsch | Getty ImagesA lawyer for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook on Wednesday pushed back on President Donald Trump's revived effort to remove her from the central bank, telling the White House in a five-page letter that allegations of mortgage fraud against her "remain unfounded and untrue."Lawyer Abbe Lowell's defense of Cook came just before the deadline for a reply that Trump aide Dan Scavino set three weeks earlier, when he wrote to Cook that there is "sufficient reason to believe that you made false statements on one or more mortgage agreements."Trump, who wants the Fed to sharply lower interest rates, first moved to fire Cook, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, in late August 2025. He took that step after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice accusing Cook of possible mortgage fraud, alleging she claimed two different properties as her primary residence at the same time.Cook denied the allegations and filed a lawsuit challenging her dismissal. The Supreme Cour...