US President Donald Trump has renewed his attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from office, giving her 21 days to respond to allegations that she provided false information on mortgage applications.
The White House notified Cook in a letter dated August 5 and signed by Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, according to a copy seen by AFP on Friday.
The letter stated that Trump was considering removing her from her position and asked her to respond to the allegations by August 26.
Cook has denied the claims.
Trump’s latest move comes after the US Supreme Court blocked his earlier attempt to remove Cook in June, ruling that she had not been given the procedural protections required by law.
The court did not determine whether the mortgage allegations against Cook were valid.
The attempt to remove her is unprecedented in the 111-year history of the Federal Reserve and has raised fresh concerns about the independence of the US central bank.
The Federal Reserve is responsible for setting monetary policy in the world’s largest economy and operates independently of the White House. Its governors are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
In the latest letter, the White House accused Cook of being “grossly negligent” and argued that her conduct showed she was “unfit for the office.”
Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a Federal Reserve governor, has repeatedly rejected the allegations.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, she described the case as an attempt to remove her “on a manufactured pretext,” arguing that she had resisted political pressure and continued to make interest-rate decisions based on what she believed was best for Americans.
Trump has also launched a criminal investigation into former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as part of his broader challenge to the central bank’s independence.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren condemned the latest move, accusing Trump of again attempting to take control of the Federal Reserve.
She said Democrats would oppose the effort and work to prevent what she described as an attempt to undermine the independence of the US central bank.
