Supreme Court blocks Trump bid to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook

The Supreme Court on Monday blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, ruling in a 5-4 decision that the administration failed to provide her sufficient procedural protections before termination.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said Cook "was entitled to notice and some opportunity to respond prior to her termination," and that allowing Trump to fire her without cause would "turn for-cause protection into little more than at-will employment." The decision sends the matter back to lower courts, where the administration will have to prove its allegations that Cook committed mortgage fraud if it wishes to proceed with her removal. Cook has denied the allegations.

The ruling affirms the Federal Reserve's independence from direct presidential control. By law, a president can only remove Federal Reserve governors "for cause." Cook, a Biden appointee, has been allowed to continue serving on the Fed's Board of Governors while the case proceeded before the Supreme Court. The decision marks the first time a president has been blocked from removing a Fed official since Congress created the central bank in 1913.

In a separate ruling issued the same day, however, the Supreme Court expanded presidential power in a 6-3 decision, allowing Trump to fire leaders of independent agencies. The case centered on Trump's March 2025 firing of Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. Chief Justice Roberts wrote in that majority opinion that Congress' "for cause" removal protections violate the separation of powers, stating "the president may remove his subordinates at will."

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in a concurring opinion that "independent agencies are not so independent after all." The FTC ruling overturned 90 years of court precedent that had curbed executive power over independent agencies.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan dissented in the FTC case. Sotomayor wrote that the decision has given the president "far greater power than ever before."

Trump responded to the Cook decision on social media, stating that in light of the ruling, "it is more important than ever to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT." The administration indicated it would take further action regarding Cook's status.

On the same day, the Supreme Court also ruled that Mississippi can continue to count some absentee ballots received after Election Day, rejecting a Republican challenge to the state law in a 5-4 decision. The court held that "nothing in the federal election-day statutes requires ballots to be received by election day." Trump characterized the ruling as "a tremendous loss" and renewed calls for voter identification legislation.