Why Does Donald Trump Want to Fire Lisa Cook? Here's What We Know

The Supreme Court weighed in on Donald Trump's attempt to fire Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, and they questioned the president's authority to fire her. Trump has been trying to get Lisa fired for some time, and people want to know why.

According to ABC News, the court questioned Trump's unchecked power as he tries to remove Lisa from her post over unproven mortgage fraud allegations without a hearing to dispute the fraud claims. Lisa denied the claim and said she merely made a mistake on a mortgage form. So, why does Trump want her fired?

Trump reportedly wants Lisa fired so that he can appoint his own people and control the Federal Reserve. The president isn't happy with the Federal Reserve's position on interest rates, and Lisa is a Democratic appointee. Trump's Administration made the fraud claims against Lisa in August of 2025, claiming she illegally sought more favorable loan terms.

Both conservative and liberal judges questioned Trump's argument that Lisa be removed without proof at his behest.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked if a mistake on a mortgage application was grossly negligent.

"Is it grossly negligent to make a mistake on a mortgage application? I don't know that gross negligence has ever risen to the level of a mistake," she said.

Even Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump nominee, seemed concerned by the president's argument.

"Your position that there's no judicial review, no process required, no remedy available, a very low bar for cause that the president alone determines," he said. "I mean, that would weaken if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve. What goes around comes around. All of the current president's appointees would likely be removed for cause on Jan. 20, 2029, if there's a Democratic president, or January 20, 2033, and then we're really at at-will removal. So, what are we doing here?"

"History is a pretty good guide," he added. "Once these tools are unleashed, they are used by both sides, and usually more the second time around."

Chief Justice John Roberts was also skeptical of Trump's claims.

"You began talking about deceit. Does what you said after that apply in the case of an inadvertent mistake contradicted by other documents in the record?"

Justice Amy Coney Barrett also asked why there was no hearing before the attempt to fire Lisa.

"If there isn't anything to fear from a hearing and if you have the evidence," she said. "Why couldn't government resources have been put into a hearing?"

Incidentally, Trump was found liable for loan fraud in August of 2025. He was found guilty of lying on financial statements for lenders and insurers, and the judge ordered him to pay $355 million in penalties, plus interest, per PBS News.

Lisa is the first Black woman to ever serve on the Federal Reserve's advisory committee. Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., was in court to support Lisa.