On Monday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, escalating his efforts to exert greater control over the institution long considered independent from daily political struggles. Trump announced on his platform Truth Social that he decided to fire Cook due to allegations of involvement in real estate fraud, following accusations made last week by Bill Polti, whom Trump appointed to oversee the agencies regulating the giant mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Polti claimed that in 2021, Cook registered two primary residences, one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the other in Atlanta, to obtain better mortgage terms, as interest rates are usually higher on second homes or rental properties. This announcement came days after Cook confirmed she would not resign despite Trump’s earlier calls for her to step down.

The Federal Reserve Board has seven members, meaning this move could have broad economic and political repercussions. Trump asserted he has the constitutional authority to remove Cook, but this is likely to spark legal controversy over the Fed’s independence. The dismissal is expected to trigger a legal battle that may allow Cook to temporarily remain in her position pending the case’s resolution, with Cook herself as the aggrieved party rather than the Federal Reserve.