Fox continued Trump’s campaign to fire Fed board member Lisa Cook just before reports seemed to exonerate her

In late August, Pulte accused Cook of “falsifying records to obtain more favorable terms on mortgages,” supposedly designating “both a condominium in Atlanta and a home in Ann Arbor, Mich., as her primary residence when taking out loans.” Pulte used his allegations to send a criminal referral to the Justice Department. Trump first called on Cook to resign on August 20, then on August 25 announced that he had fired her. 

According to The New York Times, the accusations and attempted firing of Cook were done “in hopes of forcing down interest rates,” as “Trump has relentlessly attacked the politically independent Fed and its members.” The Washington Post reported that some of Pulte’s supposed evidence did not even identify Cook. Cook, who has not been convicted of nor even charged with any crime as yet, sued the president in response to his attempt to fire her and called his actions “unprecedented and illegal.” 

• On September 9, a district court judge ruled that Cook can remain in her position as she fights Trump’s attempt to fire her. [The Associated Press, 9/10/25]
• On September 11, the Trump administration asked an appeals court to remove Cook from her position before the Fed’s next vote on interest rates. According to The Associated Press, “The request represents an extraordinary effort by the White House to shape the board before the Fed’s interest rate-setting committee meets,” even though it is expected to vote to cut rates. On the evening of September 15, the appeals court denied Trump’s request. [The Associated Press, 9/11/25; Twitter/X, 9/15/25]
• On September 12, Reuters reported on paperwork from Cook that “appears to counter other documentation that Cook’s critics have cited in support of their claims that she committed mortgage fraud by reporting two different homes as her primary residence, two independent real-estate experts said.” Additionally, NBC News reported that “public records in Fulton County, Georgia, … show that no tax exemptions available for a primary residence were sought by Cook.” [Reuters, 9/12/25; NBC News, 9/12/25]
• On September 15, Reuters additionally reported that “the property tax authority in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook hasn’t broken rules for tax breaks on a home there that Cook declared her primary residence.” The report continued: “The finding, which came in response to a Reuters request that the city review Cook’s property records, could boost Cook’s defense against efforts by the Trump administration to remove her from the Federal Reserve board.” [Reuters, 9/15/25]
• On September 5, Reuters reported that Pulte’s father and stepmother had actually “declared the same status on two homes in two different states.” In response to the reporting, Michigan tax officials revoked the Pulte family’s homestead exemption. Additionally, on September 4, ProPublica reported “at least three of Trump’s Cabinet members call multiple homes their primary residences on mortgages.” [Reuters, 9/5/25; Mother Jones, 9/6/25; ProPublica, 9/4/25]