President Trump fired Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook on Monday, as the White House attempts to exert more influence over the central bank.
Why it matters: It is a legally dubious move that further threatens the central bank's political independence.
What they're saying: Trump cited Article II of the Constitution and the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 to tell Cook she was "removed" from her position, "effective immediately," according to a letter the White House rapid response team shared on X.
The big picture: Trump's action turns what has been a theoretical — that he might seek to test the limits of the law by firing Fed governors, rather than just pressuring them — into a reality. • It has never happened before, so no one knows how any wrangling over the legality of firing Cook wil