Supreme Court Signals Protection for Fed Governor Lisa Cook
Court appeared inclined to keep Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook in her post amid oral arguments over President Donald Trump's attempt to remove her.
Overview
Justice Brett Kavanaugh said during oral arguments that removing Fed governor Lisa Cook would "weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve," signaling the court may keep Cook in her post.
The case will determine whether Fed governors are removable only "for cause," a protection the court has suggested applies to the Fed while allowing broader presidential firing powers at other agencies, legal experts said.
D. John Sauer, the government's top Supreme Court lawyer, acknowledged the administration concedes Trump could remove Cook only "for cause," while Cook's lawyer Paul Clement urged the justices to protect Fed independence, court records show.
Lisa Cook is one of three Democratic appointees on the seven-member Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and the case follows decisions allowing the temporary firing of Gwynne Wilcox and Cathy Harris, court observers noted.
The Supreme Court will initially decide whether Cook may remain while lower courts assess the merits, and it may later issue broader rulings clarifying why the Fed should differ from other independent agencies, analysts said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as an unprecedented, improper Trump overreach by using loaded phrasing ('You're fired,' 'crossed a line'), stressing historical uniqueness and legal limits, prioritizing Cook and institutional safeguard voices, and structuring the piece to foreground the Court's unfavorable signals — collectively casting the White House as culpable.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Lisa D. Cook is an economist, the first Black woman on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, appointed in 2022 by President Biden. She holds a PhD from UC Berkeley, was a professor at Michigan State University, and served on the Obama administration's Council of Economic Advisers.
On August 25, 2025, President Trump announced he was removing Cook, citing alleged 'deceitful and potentially criminal conduct.' Cook disputed this as unlawful and politically motivated, arguing removal requires 'for cause' under federal law.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh stated that removing Cook would 'weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve.' The government conceded Trump could only remove her 'for cause,' signaling the court may allow her to remain.
The case determines if Fed governors like Cook are removable only 'for cause' to protect Fed independence, differing from broader presidential firing powers at other agencies. The Court will first decide if she stays pending lower court review.
Cook remains legally an active governor pending judicial ruling, as she was reappointed in 2023 for a term ending January 31, 2038, and litigation continues over her removal.
History
This story does not have any previous versions.