WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from office, allowing her to remain on the central bank’s board while legal proceedings over the attempted dismissal continue.
The 5-4 decision preserved a lower court order blocking Cook’s removal and found that Trump had not provided the procedural protections required before attempting to dismiss a Federal Reserve governor, according to the court’s ruling. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, emphasizing that Federal Reserve governors serve fixed terms and may be removed only under the “for cause” standard established by law.
The case, Trump v. Cook, arose after Trump sought to remove Cook in August 2025, citing allegations that she had made false statements on mortgage documents before joining the Federal Reserve. Cook denied wrongdoing and challenged the removal attempt in federal court, arguing that the allegations did not meet the legal standard for removal and that she was not given an opportunity to respond before the action was taken.
The Supreme Court did not issue a final ruling on whether Trump could ultimately remove Cook for cause. Instead, the justices ruled on whether the lower court’s order preventing her removal should remain in place while the broader dispute proceeds. The court’s decision leaves unresolved questions about what conduct would satisfy the statutory removal standard and what procedures must be followed in such a case.
The ruling marked the first time a president had attempted to remove a sitting Federal Reserve governor since the central bank was created in 1913, making the dispute a significant test of the Fed’s independence from presidential control.
Trump’s administration argued that the president had authority to remove Cook based on concerns about her conduct and integrity. Cook’s legal team argued that the allegations were insufficient and that the removal process violated protections provided to Federal Reserve governors.
The Supreme Court’s decision came amid a broader series of cases involving presidential authority over independent federal agencies. On the same day, the court issued a separate ruling expanding presidential power over officials at some other agencies, creating a mixed outcome for the administration’s efforts to change removal protections across the federal government.
Cook, who was appointed to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in 2022 and has a term scheduled to run through 2038, will remain in her position as the case returns to lower courts for further proceedings.
