ISTANBUL
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook resign following mortgage fraud allegations against her.
"Cook must resign, now!!!" Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, sharing a Bloomberg article about the accusations.
Bill Pulte, director of the US Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and a Trump appointee, alleged that Cook submitted conflicting information on 2021 mortgage applications for properties in the US states of Michigan and Georgia.
Pulte claimed Cook falsely indicated both properties as her primary residence to secure more favorable loan terms, constituting mortgage fraud. He urged the Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation.
"According to mortgage documents obtained by US Federal Housing, it appears an individual, Ms. Lisa DeNell Cook, has falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud," Pulte wrote in a criminal referral letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Pulte alleged that Cook falsified residence statuses for Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Atlanta, Georgia, properties to potentially secure lower interest rates.
Cook, appointed by former President Joe Biden and the first Black woman on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, has not publicly responded. The Federal Reserve has issued no statement.
The move aligns with Trump's broader campaign to influence Federal Reserve policy and push for lower interest rates while criticizing Chair Jerome Powell.