A White House committee investigating Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook postponed her hearing to Dec. 14 at her request, a White House official said Wednesday. Cook's lawyer Abbe Lowell cited scheduling conflicts with financial and monetary policy meetings in Europe and raised questions about the committee's fairness before any hearing could proceed.
President Donald Trump established the committee in early October to investigate allegations that Cook made false statements related to mortgage instruments. The three-member panel includes Kevin Hassett, assistant to the president for economic policy; Andrea Lucas, chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and Keith Sonderling, director of the Office of Government Ethics.
The committee is tasked with reporting whether there is cause for Cook's removal under a federal law cited in a June Supreme Court ruling that temporarily blocked her firing. Trump unsuccessfully tried to fire Cook in August 2025.
In her lawsuit challenging the firing, Cook argued Trump's mortgage claims are pretextual and that he actually seeks her removal because she refused to agree to his demands that she vote for lower interest rates. A lower court order currently prevents her termination while the suit proceeds. The Supreme Court has not determined whether Trump ultimately has the power to fire a Fed board member, but said Cook could remain on the board because she was not given due process to challenge her firing.
Investors monitoring Federal Reserve policy decisions should watch the outcome of this committee inquiry, as it may determine whether Trump gains the ability to reshape the central bank's leadership and interest rate stance.