The White House moved Lisa Cook’s hearing from Nov. 5 to Dec. 14.
Why it matters: The dispute tests the Federal Reserve’s independence and the legal limits on presidential removal of its governors. Its timing, just after the Fed’s December policy meeting, could shape perceptions of monetary-policy governance.
- The White House rescheduled Cook’s hearing from Nov. 5 to Dec. 14, 2026.
- The Supreme Court left an injunction allowing Cook to remain on the Fed Board while litigation continues.
- Cook denies wrongdoing over alleged false statements on mortgage applications; no criminal charges have been filed.
- The hearing will follow the Fed’s scheduled Dec. 8-9 FOMC meeting.
The White House has postponed its planned hearing on Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to Dec. 14, according to CNBC and Reuters reporting. The hearing had been scheduled for Nov. 5.
The proceeding concerns allegations that Cook made false statements in connection with one or more mortgage applications. Cook denies wrongdoing, and The Associated Press reported that no criminal charges have been filed against her over the allegations.
President Donald Trump’s Oct. 7 memorandum created a three-member committee of inquiry to investigate the allegations and report whether there is cause to remove Cook under federal law. The original plan called for a closed, in-person White House hearing lasting no more than four hours, with Cook allowed to present evidence, witness statements, arguments and legal assistance. Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said Cook could not attend on Nov. 5 because of official duties and that the earliest feasible date was after the Federal Open Market Committee’s Dec. 8-9 meeting.
The Supreme Court’s June 29 decision in Trump v. Cook left in place an injunction allowing Cook to remain on the Board while litigation continues. The Court said the president must provide notice and a hearing before removing a governor and that the cause must meet a “substantial, reasonable and just” standard. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that “the appearance of independence is key to the Federal Reserve’s design.”
Cook’s lawyers have questioned the fairness of the process. Lowell described it as “demonstrably biased,” according to AP. The hearing will be closed, and the committee’s findings, any presidential removal order and the availability of a transcript remain unresolved.
By the numbers
- Dec. 14, 2026 - Rescheduled White House hearing date
- Dec. 8-9, 2026 - Scheduled FOMC policy meeting
- Jan. 31, 2038 - End of Cook’s current full term
Yes, but: The Supreme Court’s ruling addressed the administration’s emergency request and did not finally resolve every issue in the underlying removal litigation. The White House has not publicly released the evidence it plans to provide Cook.
What's next: The Fed’s FOMC meets Dec. 8-9, followed by the scheduled White House hearing on Dec. 14. The committee must then report to Trump, but no findings or removal decision date is known.