Trump orders a White House hearing on firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage allegations; her lawyers call the panel biased
Trump created a White House committee to investigate mortgage allegations against Fed Governor Lisa Cook and recommend whether to fire her. Her lawyers call the panel biased, and a member, Kevin Hassett, says its hearing moved to December.
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Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Trump's October 7, 2026 memorandum created a three-member White House committee to investigate allegations that Fed Governor Lisa Cook made false statements on mortgage documents and to recommend whether there is cause to remove her. Her lawyers call the panel biased, and committee member Kevin Hassett says the hearing will take place in December.
Read the full background
In August 2025, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte referred Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to the Justice Department, accusing her of claiming homes in Michigan and Georgia as primary residences on separate 2021 mortgage documents, before she joined the Fed board. Trump moved to fire her later that month. Cook denies wrongdoing, and her lawyers say the Atlanta designation was an inadvertent mistake. She has not been charged with a crime. In June 2026 the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Trump could not remove her without adequate notice and a chance to respond, which left open a path to removal for cause.
Trump's memorandum dated October 7, 2026, and posted on October 9, set up a three-member committee of inquiry: his assistant for economic policy, Kevin Hassett, the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the director of the Office of Government Ethics. It ordered a closed, transcribed hearing at the White House on November 5, lasting no more than four hours, at which the committee or Justice Department lawyers may question Cook. She may submit written statements before and after the hearing, and the committee is to recommend whether there is cause to remove her.
Cook's lawyers, Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen, said they had grave doubts that the hearing would be legitimate. In an October 13 letter to White House counsel William Scharf, Lowell said Cook would be at official meetings in Europe on November 5, could not appear until after the Fed's December 8-9 policy meeting, and that Hassett had already said the president has cause to fire her.
On October 29, Hassett told Bloomberg TV that the White House and Cook's representatives had agreed to meet in December. A spokeswoman for Cook's lawyer did not confirm any new date.
People in this case
Lisa D. CookDirectly involved
Donald TrumpDirectly involved
Timeline
4 timeline entries on this page. Dates: October 7, 2026 to October 29, 2026
October 2026
Trump signs a memorandum creating a committee of inquiry into Lisa Cook
The memorandum, posted on October 9, orders a closed White House hearing on November 5 and asks the three-member committee to recommend whether there is cause to remove Cook from the Fed board.
[01]The White House
Trump's memorandum sets up a three-member committee of inquiry, made up of his assistant for economic policy, the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the director of the Office of Government Ethics, to investigate allegations that Cook made false statements in connection with mortgage instruments. It orders a closed, transcribed White House hearing of no more than four hours on November 5, 2026, lets Cook submit written statements before and after it, and asks the committee to recommend whether there is cause to remove her from the Fed board.
Establishment of a Committee of Inquiry to Investigate Allegations of False Statements by Lisa DeNell Cook · The White HouseFull memorandum, dated October 7, 2026[02]Fox News
Fox News reports the memorandum, the November 5 hearing and its rules, and the White House's allegation that Cook claimed homes in Atlanta and Michigan as primary residences on separate mortgages and later rented out the Atlanta property. It reports her lawyer's position that the Atlanta designation was an inadvertent mistake.
Trump sets up committee to investigate Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations · Fox NewsFull article, Fox News copy published by WFMDCook's lawyers say they have grave doubts the hearing is legitimate
Reaction
In a statement to Scotsman Guide, Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen say an objective inquiry would find that Cook did not commit mortgage fraud and that she welcomes the chance to clear her name.
[03]Trump escalates Lisa Cook feud, forms committee to investigate mortgage fraud allegations
Scotsman Guide reports the memorandum and prints a statement its staff received from Cook's attorneys, Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen, questioning whether the hearing is legitimate and saying Cook welcomes the chance to clear her name.
Lowell asks the White House to hold the hearing after the Fed's December meeting
Reaction
In a letter to White House counsel William Scharf, Lowell says Cook will be at official meetings in Europe on November 5 and questions the objectivity of the committee, citing Kevin Hassett's earlier comments.
[04]Associated Press
The AP reports a letter Abbe Lowell sent to White House counsel William Scharf saying Cook cannot attend a November 5 hearing because of official meetings in Europe, that the earliest she could appear is after the Fed's December 8-9 meeting, and that the committee is biased because one member, Kevin Hassett, has already said the president has cause to fire her.
Lawyers for Federal Reserve's Lisa Cook say White House hearing set up by Trump is 'biased' · Associated PressFull article, AP copy published by WDBO[05]Fox Business
Fox Business reports, citing Reuters, that Abbe Lowell's October 13 letter questioned Kevin Hassett's place on the committee, saying Hassett had pressed Cook to take leave and suggested Trump had cause to fire her, and asked to delay the November 5 hearing until after the Fed's December 8-9 meeting.
Lisa Cook's lawyer challenges impartiality of Trump panel reviewing Fed mortgage allegations · Fox BusinessFull articleHassett says the hearing has been moved to December
Hassett tells Bloomberg TV that he thinks the White House and Cook's representatives have agreed to meet in December. A spokeswoman for Cook's lawyer does not confirm a new date.
[06]Reuters
Reuters reports that Kevin Hassett told Bloomberg TV on October 29 that the White House and Cook's representatives had agreed to meet in December, and that a spokeswoman for her lawyer did not confirm any new date. It reports that Hassett sits on the three-person committee and quotes his description of the process.
White House hearing on Fed's Cook delayed to December, Hassett says · ReutersFull article, Reuters copy published by WHBL
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
The White House
Lisa Cook claimed homes in Atlanta and Michigan as her primary residence on separate mortgage agreements and later rented out the Atlanta property, allegations Trump's committee is to weigh as possible cause to remove her from the Federal Reserve Board.
What is disputed
Cook denies wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. Her lawyers say the Atlanta designation was an inadvertent mistake, that she sought financing for it as a vacation home, and that she consistently identified Michigan as her primary residence.
Sources (2)
- Trump sets up committee to investigate Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations · Fox NewsFull article, Fox News copy published by WFMD
- Establishment of a Committee of Inquiry to Investigate Allegations of False Statements by Lisa DeNell Cook · The White HouseFull memorandum, dated October 7, 2026
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(6)
Official statement
Establishment of a Committee of Inquiry to Investigate Allegations of False Statements by Lisa DeNell Cook
Relevant passage: Full memorandum, dated October 7, 2026
About this source
Trump's memorandum sets up a three-member committee of inquiry, made up of his assistant for economic policy, the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the director of the Office of Government Ethics, to investigate allegations that Cook made false statements in connection with mortgage instruments. It orders a closed, transcribed White House hearing of no more than four hours on November 5, 2026, lets Cook submit written statements before and after it, and asks the committee to recommend whether there is cause to remove her from the Fed board.
- Author
- Donald J. Trump
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Lisa Cook's lawyer challenges impartiality of Trump panel reviewing Fed mortgage allegations
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Fox Business reports, citing Reuters, that Abbe Lowell's October 13 letter questioned Kevin Hassett's place on the committee, saying Hassett had pressed Cook to take leave and suggested Trump had cause to fire her, and asked to delay the November 5 hearing until after the Fed's December 8-9 meeting.
- Author
- Bradford Betz
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
White House hearing on Fed's Cook delayed to December, Hassett says
Relevant passage: Full article, Reuters copy published by WHBL
About this source
Reuters reports that Kevin Hassett told Bloomberg TV on October 29 that the White House and Cook's representatives had agreed to meet in December, and that a spokeswoman for her lawyer did not confirm any new date. It reports that Hassett sits on the three-person committee and quotes his description of the process.
- Author
- Ann Saphir
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Lawyers for Federal Reserve's Lisa Cook say White House hearing set up by Trump is 'biased'
Relevant passage: Full article, AP copy published by WDBO
About this source
The AP reports a letter Abbe Lowell sent to White House counsel William Scharf saying Cook cannot attend a November 5 hearing because of official meetings in Europe, that the earliest she could appear is after the Fed's December 8-9 meeting, and that the committee is biased because one member, Kevin Hassett, has already said the president has cause to fire her.
- Author
- Christopher Rugaber
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Trump escalates Lisa Cook feud, forms committee to investigate mortgage fraud allegations
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Scotsman Guide reports the memorandum and prints a statement its staff received from Cook's attorneys, Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen, questioning whether the hearing is legitimate and saying Cook welcomes the chance to clear her name.
- Author
- Luke Baynes
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Trump sets up committee to investigate Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations
Relevant passage: Full article, Fox News copy published by WFMD
About this source
Fox News reports the memorandum, the November 5 hearing and its rules, and the White House's allegation that Cook claimed homes in Atlanta and Michigan as primary residences on separate mortgages and later rented out the Atlanta property. It reports her lawyer's position that the Atlanta designation was an inadvertent mistake.
- Published
- Accessed
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- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Trump orders a White House hearing on firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage allegations; her lawyers call the panel biased
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The Dispute Index. "Trump orders a White House hearing on firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage allegations; her lawyers call the panel biased". First published: 2026-11-06. Last updated: 2026-11-06. https://disputeindex.com/cases/white-house-committee-lisa-cook-removal-hearing