Trump Intensifies Efforts to Remove Federal Reserve Board Member Amid Power Struggle

President Trump’s attempt to remove a Federal Reserve board member marks a significant escalation in his campaign to expand his control over key institutions within the U.S. government. The Federal Reserve, designed by Congress to operate independently to safeguard economic stability, stands at the center of this confrontation.

By targeting board member Lisa D. Cook, Trump is initiating a legal and constitutional test regarding the limits of presidential authority. The move challenges whether the president can unilaterally determine just cause to dismiss an official in an independent agency, whose members are typically shielded from removal without valid justification.

Cook, whose Senate-confirmed term extends through 2038, embodies the agency’s independence. The president’s attempt to remove her raises critical questions about the balance of power, particularly how the courts and a Supreme Court with a conservative supermajority might respond to potential executive overreach.

This effort aligns with a broader pattern in which the Trump administration has sought to push the boundaries of presidential power. These include frequent emergency declarations to broaden executive authority, deploying federal forces to manage domestic unrest, imposing tariffs without congressional approval, and restricting federal spending contrary to legislative directives.

In this case, Trump is testing the statute that grants Federal Reserve board members 14-year terms, removable only for cause. The outcome could set a precedent on the extent of presidential control over independent financial regulators and the preservation of institutional checks designed to protect economic governance.