In the wake of the unprecedented removal of a Federal Reserve governor, President Donald Trump doubled down on his decision Tuesday, saying he is "always" ready for a legal fight after the ousted governor, Lisa Cook, signaled she would pursue legal action.
"She seems to have had an infraction and she can't have an infraction. And especially that infraction because she's in charge of, if you think about it, mortgages. We need people that are 100% above board, and it doesn't seem like she was," Trump said, referencing Cook's alleged misconduct in securing mortgage loans.
The Federal Reserve acknowledged Cook's potential legal action and said in a statement that the U.S. central bank will "abide by any court decision."
"Lisa Cook has indicated through her personal attorney that she will promptly challenge this action in court and seek a judicial decision that would confirm her ability to continue to fulfill her responsibilities as a Senate-confirmed member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System," a Federal Reserve spokesperson wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors, commonly known as the Fed Board, is composed of seven members, or governors, who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Cook’s potential removal from the Fed Board leaves a seat open on the panel that guides the nation's monetary policy. This gives Trump another opportunity to name someone closely aligned with his financial policy to the Fed.
When asked about replacing Cook on the Fed Board, Trump told reporters at the White House that he has some "very good people for that position."
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