Cook’s lawyers push back

What's happened

Lisa Cook’s lawyers have told the White House that a November 5 hearing cannot proceed because she will be performing Federal Reserve duties in Europe and preparing for the December FOMC meeting. Attorney Abbe Lowell has also warned that the White House committee is biased, citing members’ prior comments and unspecified additional allegations that must be disclosed before any fair hearing.

What's behind the headline?

What the letter changes

Abbe Lowell’s letter converts a scheduled November hearing into a short legal stalemate. Cook has been presented with a White House timetable that assumes immediate availability; her counsel has refused that timeline and demanded time to review what the White House has produced. That will force the administration to choose between postponing the hearing or proceeding over counsel's objections.

Who is contesting the process

Lowell specifically flags committee members' prior statements. He points to Kevin Hassett’s earlier public remarks that the president already has "cause" to fire Cook. That public stance will allow Cook’s team to argue the committee has prejudged the case and that any hearing would lack objectivity. The committee’s other members are Trump appointees, which will deepen due‑process arguments in court.

Practical timeline

Cook is scheduled to be on Fed business in Europe in early November and will immediately prepare for the December FOMC meeting. Lowell insists the earliest fair hearing will be after the December meeting. The White House memo had set a Nov. 5 hearing and a Nov. 10 deadline for Cook to submit follow‑up material; those dates will now collapse unless the White House revises them.

Likely next steps and consequences

• The White House will decide whether to push the hearing back to avoid a fresh procedural defeat in court. If it proceeds on Nov. 5 despite Lowell’s objections, Cook will argue a lack of due process and will likely seek emergency relief in court. That will reproduce the Supreme Court fight that halted the first firing attempt.
• A delayed hearing will shift the political fight into December, after an FOMC meeting and amid debates over interest rates. That delay will increase pressure on the Fed’s perceived independence and keep the litigation and political attention alive through the end of the year.

Stakes

This is not only a personnel dispute. The administration is contesting the Fed during a period of higher rates and political sensitivity over monetary policy. If the White House pushes the timeline and loses again in court, it will have reduced leverage to remove a sitting governor and will further stress norms protecting central‑bank independence. Conversely, if the White House forces a rushed hearing and obtains a favorable recommendation, it will set a new, more political precedent for removing Fed officials.

How we got here

President Donald Trump has renewed efforts to remove Fed governor Lisa Cook over alleged mortgage fraud first raised in 2025. The Supreme Court blocked his initial firing on procedural grounds but allowed the administration to restart the process if it provides notice and a chance to respond. The White House created a three-member committee and scheduled a Nov. 5 hearing.

Our analysis

CNBC reported that Lowell told Will Scharf the committee is "plagued by issues that undermine the appearance of the Fed's independence," citing "demonstrably biased members" and "unspecified additional allegations." CNBC quoted Lowell saying any hearing "would have to be addressed before a hearing could occur," and that Cook would be on Fed business in Europe in early November. AP News published Lowell’s letter excerpts noting Cook "will be executing her official duties as Governor at financial and monetary policy meetings in Europe" and that the earliest appearance would be after the Fed’s Dec. 8–9 meeting. AP also reiterated legal context: the Supreme Court earlier blocked Trump’s first firing attempt on procedural grounds but allowed a restart if proper notice and opportunity to respond are provided. Bloomberg noted briefly that Cook will be handling financial and monetary policy meetings in Europe, echoing Lowell’s scheduling point. The Guardian, Al Jazeera and other outlets set out the broader arc: Trump created a three‑member committee and ordered a Nov. 5 hearing after reviving his effort to remove Cook over mortgage fraud allegations first raised in 2025. Across sources, Cook’s lawyers emphasize they "welcome the opportunity to present the facts" but insist on a process that respects due process and Fed independence; the White House has defended the committee as part of the president’s constitutional duty, saying the hearing will be "substantive and fair," per a White House statement quoted by CNBC.

Go deeper

• Will the White House reschedule the hearing or move forward on Nov. 5 despite Cook’s objections?
• How will courts respond if the White House proceeds while Cook’s counsel says the committee is biased?
• What effect will a delayed hearing have on Fed policy and perceptions of central‑bank independence?

More on these topics

• Donald John Trump - 45th and 47th U.S. President

  Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.

• White House - Official residence and office of the President of the United States

  The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 when the national...

• Jerome Powell - Chair of the Federal Reserve

  Jerome Hayden "Jay" Powell is the 16th Chair of the Federal Reserve, serving in that office since February 2018. He was nominated to the Fed Chair position by President Donald Trump, and confirmed by the United States Senate.

• Federal Reserve System - Bank

  The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of the United States of America. It was created on December 23, 1913, with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, after a series of financial panics led to the desire for central control of the m

• Abbe Lowell - Politician

  Abbe David Lowell is an American defense attorney who has represented several high-profile defendants. Lowell has represented numerous high-profile political figures, including Bob Menendez, John Edwards, Jared Kushner, Jim Wright, Dan Rostenkowski, Charl

• The United States of America - Country in North America

  The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.

• Supreme Court of the United States - Court

  The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States of America. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all federal and state court cases that involve a point of federal law, and original jurisdict

• Joe Biden - President of the United States

  Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate

• Supreme Court - Court

  The supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high court of appeal.

• Washington, D.C. - Capital of the United States of America

  Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington or D.C., is the capital of the United States.