The White House committee weighing whether Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook should be fired has delayed her hearing from Thursday to Dec. 14, a White House official said Wednesday evening, and it remained unclear whether Cook would attend. The postponement came at Cook's request.
Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said last month that questions about the committee's fairness and objectivity would have to be addressed before a hearing could occur, and that it could not take place until December at the earliest because Cook "will be executing her official duties as Governor at financial and monetary policy meetings in Europe."
Trump established the committee in early October to investigate allegations that Cook made false statements related to "one or more mortgage instruments." The panel is to report to the president whether there is "cause" for her removal under a federal law cited in a Supreme Court ruling in June that temporarily blocked her firing. It is made up of Kevin Hassett, assistant to the president for economic policy; Andrea Lucas, chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and Office of Government Ethics Director Keith Sonderling.
Cook has denied wrongdoing. In a lawsuit challenging her firing, she argued that Trump's claim about the mortgage statements is pretextual, and that his real reason for trying to oust her is her refusal to agree to his demands that she vote for lower interest rates.
Trump created the panel more than three months after the Supreme Court ruled that the president could not, for now, fire Cook from the Fed's board. The decision kept in place a lower court order preventing her termination while the suit proceeds, without deciding whether Trump ultimately has the power to remove a Fed board member. It said Cook could remain on the board because she had not been given due process to challenge her firing. The committee may be designed to show the Supreme Court that Cook has now received due process. The New York Times first reported the hearing's rescheduling.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The dispute tests whether a president can remove a Federal Reserve board member for policy disagreements, a question the Supreme Court has left open.
- The committee's findings could shape the due-process standard applied to any future attempt to remove a Fed governor.
- The case has broader implications for central bank independence and how much political pressure the Federal Reserve faces over interest rate decisions.
Background
The Federal Reserve Board sets US monetary policy, and its governors generally serve fixed terms with removal allowed only for cause. Trump first tried to fire Cook in August 2025, and the Supreme Court in June temporarily blocked that dismissal, ruling that she was entitled to due process before removal. The White House committee was created in October to investigate her conduct while her lawsuit challenging the firing continues.
Key Perspectives
White House committee of inquiry: is investigating allegations that Cook made false statements related to mortgage instruments and will report to Trump whether there is "cause" for her removal.
Lisa Cook: denies wrongdoing and says the mortgage allegations are pretextual; her lawsuit argues Trump's real motive was her refusal to back lower interest rates.
Abbe Lowell (Cook's lawyer): says questions about the committee's fairness and objectivity must be addressed before any hearing, and that Cook's official duties in Europe made December the earliest possible date.
What to Watch
- Whether Cook attends the Dec. 14 hearing and whether Lowell's fairness objections are resolved beforehand.
- The committee's report to Trump and any renewed attempt to remove Cook after it is delivered.
- The ongoing lawsuit over Cook's firing, which the Supreme Court has allowed to proceed while she remains on the board.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe White House panel delayed Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s hearing to Dec. 14.US Top News and Analysis: “A White House committee of inquiry postponed from Thursday to Dec. 14 a hearing with Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook”
- SupportedCook argues that the mortgage claim is pretext for trying to oust her over her refusal to support lower interest rates.US Top News and Analysis: “she argued that Trump's claim about the mortgage statements is pretextual, and that his real reason for trying to oust her is her refusal to agree to his demands that she vote for lower interest rates.”
- SupportedA White House official said Wednesday evening that the hearing was postponed from Thursday to Dec. 14.US Top News and Analysis: “A White House committee of inquiry postponed from Thursday to Dec. 14 a hearing with Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for an investigation of whether allegations of false statements in mortgage applications warrant her firing by President Donald Trump , a White House official said Wednesday evening.”
- SupportedIt remained unclear whether Cook would attend the hearing.US Top News and Analysis: “But it was unclear if Cook, whom Trump unsuccessfully tried to fire in August 2025, would agree to attend.”
- SupportedThe postponement came at Cook’s request.US Top News and Analysis: “The official said the postponement came at the request of Cook.”
- SupportedLowell said the hearing could not take place until December at the earliest because Cook “will be executing her official duties as Governor at financial and monetary policy meetings in Europe.”US Top News and Analysis: “Lowell also said the hearing could not take place until December, at the earliest, because she "will be executing her official duties as Governor at financial and monetary policy meetings in Europe."”
- SupportedTrump established the committee in early October to investigate allegations that Cook made false statements related to “one or more mortgage instruments.”US Top News and Analysis: “Trump in early October established the committee to investigate allegations that Cook made false statements related to "one or more mortgage instruments."”
- SupportedThe committee is to report to the president whether there is “cause” for Cook’s removal under a federal law cited in a June Supreme Court ruling.US Top News and Analysis: “"The Committee shall investigate the allegations against Governor Cook and report to me whether there is 'cause' for Governor Cook's removal within the meaning of" a federal law that was cited in a Supreme Court ruling in June that temporarily blocked her firing.”
- SupportedThe committee consists of Kevin Hassett, Andrea Lucas and Keith Sonderling, in the roles stated in the story.US Top News and Analysis: “The committee is comprised of Kevin Hassett, assistant to the president for economic policy, Andrea Lucas, the chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Office of Government Ethics Director Keith Sonderling.”
- SupportedCook has denied wrongdoing.US Top News and Analysis: “Cook has denied any wrongdoing.”
- SupportedIn her lawsuit, Cook argued that Trump’s mortgage-statement claim was pretextual and that he was trying to oust her because she would not agree to his demands to vote for lower interest rates.US Top News and Analysis: “In a lawsuit challenging her firing, she argued that Trump's claim about the mortgage statements is pretextual, and that his real reason for trying to oust her is her refusal to agree to his demands that she vote for lower interest rates.”
- SupportedThe Supreme Court ruling kept in place a lower court order preventing Cook’s termination while her suit proceeds.US Top News and Analysis: “The ruling kept in place a lower court's order preventing Cook from being terminated while the suit challenging her dismissal proceeds.”