World Series champion announces congressional campaign in Texas
World Series champion Mark Teixeira is throwing his hat in the political ring.
The former New York Yankees first baseman announced his campaign for Congress in Texas’ 21st District on Wednesday. He released an official statement on social media, stating that he’s “ready to help defend President Trump’s America First agenda, Texas families, and individual liberty.”
“As a proud Texan and lifelong conservative who loves our country, I’m ready to fight for the principles that make Texas strong and America exceptional,” the statement read. “It takes teamwork to win, and I’m ready to help defend President Trump’s America First agenda, Texas families, and individual liberty.”
Teixeira’s announcement follows Congressman Chip Roy’s decision not to seek re-election as he runs for the office of the Texas Attorney General.
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Trump considers Republican Party National Convention before 2026 midterms
President Donald Trump is considering holding a Republican National Convention ahead of the midterm elections, he announced Thursday.
Trump did not offer any details about where the convention would take place, or what would happen there, but he touted various statistics that have been beneficial for the Republican Party this year. The GOP is fighting to maintain control of both the House and Senate in 2026.
“The Republican Party is doing really well. Millions of people have joined us in our quest to MAKE AMERICA, GREAT AGAIN. We won every aspect of the Presidential Election and, based on the great success we are having, are poised to WIN BIG IN THE MIDTERMS,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“We have raised far more money than the Democrats, and are having a great time fixing all of the Country Destroying mistakes made by the Biden Administration, and watching the USA heal and prosper. The results are incredible, a record pace!!! In that light, I am thinking of recommending a National Convention to the Republican Party, just prior to the Midterms. It has never been done before. STAY TUNED!” he added.
4 KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN 2026 MIDTERMS TO EXPAND THEIR MAJORITY
Historically, midterms have been tough elections for the party controlling the White House, typically losing roughly 25 seats in the House. Trump and the Republicans lost 41 House seats in the 2018 midterms.
POLITICAL ANALYST SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ALREADY WORRIED ABOUT THE ‘BIG PROBLEM’ OF WINNING BACK VOTERS FOR 2028
Trump’s talk of a national convention comes amid a war over redistricting across the country.
Texas passed a new congressional map eliminating five Democratic seats earlier this month. Blue states exploded in response, however, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom is working to adopt a map that eliminates five Republican seats in his state.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other Democratic state leaders have also vowed to pick up the redistricting war, further confusing predictions for where 2026 could land.
Trump has also argued that crime will be a major focus in the midterm cycle, a theme he has hit heavily in recent days to drum up support for his controversial “federalization” push in Washington, D.C.
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“The Republicans are the party that wants to stop crime,” Trump said. “We’re against crime.”
“The Democrats like crime,” he continued.
The president touted the success of his efforts in the nation’s capital on Tuesday, telling reporters, “If I were a Democrat — governor or mayor or anybody — I’d call up President Trump and say, ‘President Trump, we need your help. We saw what you’ve done in D.C. in a period of 12 days.'”
“This is 12 days. We haven’t even started. This is going to be so safe. It’ll be the safest place on Earth,” he added.
American Taylor Townsend told she has ‘no class’ after upsetting opponent at US Open
Taylor Townsend let out a roar after upsetting No. 25-ranked Jelena Ostapenko, 7-5, 6-1, in her second-round match at the U.S. Open on Wednesday.
But a face-to-face confrontation between the two competitors at center court was the biggest story coming out of Court 11.
Townsend said that Ostapenko, a Latvian native who has a French Open title under her belt from 2017, said she has “no class” and “no education.”
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Townsend, who is Black, was asked by a reporter if Ostapenko’s comments at the net had racial undertones.
“I didn’t take it in that way, but also, you know, that has been a stigma in our community of being ‘not educated’ and all of the things, when it’s the furthest thing from the truth,” Townsend replied.
“So, whether it had racial undertones or not, that’s something she can speak on. The only thing that I’m worried about right now is continuing to move forward through this tournament.”
Ostapenko wasn’t asked by reporters, but she posted on Instagram about the confrontation, specifically talking about “how many messages I received that I am a racist.”
“I was NEVER racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world,” Ostapenko posted. “For me, it doesn’t matter where you come from.”
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During the verbal altercation at the net, Ostapenko said something inaudible to Townsend as she went to shake the chair umpire’s hand. It clearly irked Townsend, who had an exasperated expression on her face before things got a bit more heated.
Ostapenko was seen waving her finger at Townsend while they jawed back and forth.
“It’s competition. People get upset when they lose,” Townsend, who is ranked No. 1 in doubles, said after the match.
Townsend added that in past matches against Ostapenko there was never any issues.
“There’s no beef on my side,” she said. “She told me I have no education, no class, and to see what happens if we play each other outside of the U.S. I said, ‘I’m excited. Bring it.’ I’ve never been the one to back down from anything like that.”
Townsend’s social media post began by saying she felt Townsend was “disrespectful” after not apologizing for the net cord helping her secure a point in the match.
“There are some rules in tennis which most of the players follow and it was (the) first time ever that this happened to me on tour,” Ostapenko said. “If she plays in her homeland, it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants.”
Ostapenko also didn’t like that Townsend warmed up before the match at the net instead of at the baseline. Townsend said she’s been doing the routine for years and it has never been an issue.
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Townsend is a star in WTA doubles, but in singles, she is ranked No. 139. She is the lowest-ranked American woman to beat a past Grand Slam champion at a major since Kristie Ahn, who just so happened to beat Ostapenko at the 2019 U.S. Open.
Townsend has a tough third-round matchup against, as she will face No. 5-ranked Mirra Andreeva, the 18-year-old phenom, on Friday.
Mom reveals heartbreaking details of son’s murder with 9 charged, including girlfriend
Trey Wright was over the moon for his new girlfriend, a cheerleader he’d been dating going into summer break from school, according to his mom. But after an apparent fight, she allegedly set him up to die, then visited the hospital before his family knew what happened.
Two days after the excited South Carolina 16-year-old told family that dating her “felt like a dream come true,” it became a nightmare. Authorities allege that she set him up to be shot and killed by another teen three years his senior.
“They knew each other, far as I know, no longer than two months,” his 35-year-old single mother, Ashley Lindsey, told Fox News Digital.
Gianna Kistenmacher, 17, is being charged as an adult after authorities say she brought Devan Raper, 19, to Wright’s location, knowing he was armed, angry and allegedly willing to shoot.
VICTIM’S GIRLFRIEND AMONG 9 TEENS ARRESTED IN 16-YEAR-OLD’S BEACH TOWN MURDER
Although they didn’t know each other long, Wright made sure his family knew he was serious about his new girlfriend, his mother said.
“Every time she came to see him, he made a point of being around me with her, like he wanted me to get to know her,” Lindsey said. “Because he truly liked her and enjoyed spending time with her.”
But after an escalating argument on the night of his murder, she and a group of teens allegedly drove about an hour to Wright’s location in Johnsonville from where most of them lived in Myrtle Beach. Then Raper is accused of fatally shooting him.
“She even went to the hospital after he was shot,” Lindsey said of Kistenmacher. “I hugged her neck and was comforting her because I didn’t know.”
SIX MIGRANTS CHARGED IN SC MOM’S MURDER DETAILED CRIME IN EERIE MESSAGES: ‘JUST THE BEGINNING’
One of Wright’s female friends, another teen, snapped at Kistenmacher in the hospital. The adults broke it up, and she left with her parents – only to be arrested later on charges of accessory before the fact. Prosecutors eventually upgraded the charges against her as the investigation dug deeper.
In all, there are seven teens who are either over 18 or being charged as adults – plus another two juveniles, who are all accused of playing a role in the setup and shooting. One of them recorded the slaying on video, according to the local sheriff – a brutal and confusing fact for Lindsey.
“Why, why did they do this?” the mourning mom pondered. “What pushed them to the point to drive over an hour, nine kids, to commit murder, and then to record it?”
It happened in late June, but authorities have continued to expand their case over the following months, naming two more suspects last week – Braylyn O’Neil Thompson, 17, and Jaden Blaze Auclaire, 18.
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While Lindsey said she doesn’t expect any more arrests, she said the lead detective is still interviewing witnesses in search of more details about the motive.
Other suspects facing murder charges are 18-year-olds Hunter Kendall and Corrine Belviso and 17-year-old Sydney Kearns.
Raper faces charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime and is being held without bond. Kendall is also being held without bond.
The others have been released on bond – and their parents’ supervision, which Lindsey argues has proven to mean little.
SOUTH CAROLINA DEPUTY SHOT AND KILLED IN AMBUSH, SHERIFF SAYS
“These underage kids, they got out with ankle monitors on under their parents’ supervision, but where were their parents the night that my kid was killed?” she said. “They’re out at 11, 12 o’clock at night and y’all are underage. Where were the parents then?”
Her son, meanwhile, was where he was “supposed to be,” at a close friend’s house, when the group showed up.
“Obviously, the parents ain’t doing a good job at keeping them at home,” she said.
And she’s already seen evidence that the terms of release have been violated, at least by some of the suspects, she said. Wright’s best friends allegedly caught one juvenile reading their Snapchat story when he was not supposed to be using cellphones or other devices, she said. Two others, who were banned from having contact with their co-defendants, posed outside the juvenile justice center in a photo captioned, “I’m free,” followed by a racial slur.
MASS SHOOTING IN MYRTLE BEACH TOURIST HOT SPOT LEAVES 1 DEAD, 11 WOUNDED
Wright played football and baseball and had been working at a local deer processor since he was 13, his mom told Fox News Digital. His bosses treated him like family, and she never missed a ballgame.
He had only gotten into football in eighth grade, but he picked it up quick – running for two touchdowns in his first game. He would have played up next year, she said.
In general, he was a pleasant and positive young man, she said.
“He didn’t too much care for school, but he still went every day with a smile on his face, because he was a morning person,” she said. “He used to wake up singing, take 30 minutes in the mirror blow-drying his hair, so his little surfer boy flip on the side of his hat was perfect.”
He took his road test young and already had a driver’s license. So his single mom bought him a truck for Christmas, and once he was driving, he was all over the place, she said.
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“When I say my kid can go anywhere and never meet a stranger, everywhere he went he was making new friends, getting somebody’s number,” she told Fox News Digital. “I had a woman from Myrtle Beach, Little River, she wrote me after everything happened, and she said, ‘look, me and my husband own a Southern Outfitters store, my daughter met your son over spring break.’ They talked every day, through Snapchat, whatever. She said Trey really touched her heart.”
He also began going to car shows closer to Myrtle Beach, where he met Kistenmacher, Raper and some of the others.
Kistenmacher’s Myrtle Beach-based lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Popular pain relievers may fuel deadly ‘superbugs’ that lead to antibiotic resistance
A startling new study warns that two of America’s most common over-the-counter painkillers, ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), may have an unexpected role in one of the world’s most urgent public health crises.
The everyday painkillers were found to fuel the superbugs that contribute to antibiotic resistance.
Researchers at the University of South Australia conducted lab tests with E. coli and ciprofloxacin, a common antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections.
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They found that ibuprofen and paracetamol (the generic name for Tylenol in Australia) not only drive antibiotic resistance when used individually, but amplify it when used together.
“It is well-known that overuse of antibiotics leads to resistance,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
It has previously been shown that the use of common pain relievers (NSAIDs) and antidepressants can lead to antibiotic resistance.
In the new research, when E. coli was exposed to ciprofloxacin alongside ibuprofen and paracetamol – both alone and especially when combined – the painkillers significantly increased genetic mutations in the bacteria.
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These mutations made E. coli highly resistant to ciprofloxacin and other types of antibiotics.
“Antibiotic resistance isn’t just about antibiotics anymore,” Associate Professor Rietie Venter, the study’s lead author, stated in a press release, highlighting the impact of medications beyond antibiotics.
The study highlights a concern in settings where it’s common to administer multiple medications, like elder care facilities.
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Residents often receive combinations of painkillers, sleeping aids, decongestants and other drugs, many of which were included in the study. In this kind of environment, there is a heightened risk of resistant superbugs, experts warn.
The World Health Organization designates antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the top global public health threats.
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In 2019, drug-resistant bacteria were directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths and were associated with nearly five million deaths.
If the current trend continues, projections suggest that AMR-related deaths could climb to nearly 40 million over the next 25 years.
“This doesn’t mean we should stop using these medications, but we do need to be more mindful about how they interact with antibiotics — and that includes looking beyond just two-drug combinations,” Venter said in the press release.
In high-risk settings like elder care, healthcare providers may want to re-examine medication schedules and consider safer alternatives, he suggests.
To help curb AMR, experts recommend avoiding unnecessary prescriptions and completing full courses when needed.
Fox News Digital reached out to the makers of Tylenol and Advil for comment.
Former Biden official faces backlash for attacking prayer after kids gunned down at Mass
Former Biden administration spokeswoman and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki blasted President Donald Trump’s D.C. anti-crime crackdown and the power of prayer as she reacted to a church school shooting in Minnesota Wednesday.
Authorities said at least two children were killed and more than a dozen were injured after a gunman opened fire during Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
In the aftermath of mass shootings, Americans often offer prayers for victims, their families and communities. In Catholic and Orthodox traditions, prayers for the dead ask that their souls be received into heaven.
But many gun control advocates deride prayer, arguing it is not enough, and government action must be taken to stop mass shootings. Psaki echoed that view in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
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“Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings. prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers,” Psaki said.
Psaki followed up with another tweet, writing, “When kids are getting shot in their pews at a catholic school mass and your crime plan is to have national guard put mulch down around DC maybe rethink your strategy.”
Her comments appeared to reference Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops and assume oversight of the Metropolitan Police Department to tackle rising crime in Washington, D.C.
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The suspected shooter, who was found dead at the scene, was identified as Robert or Robin Westman by law enforcement sources.
Court records show that a Minneapolis juvenile named Robert Westman had his name legally changed to Robin in 2019, with one document saying, “Minor child [redacted] identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”
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Some social media users objected to Psaki’s commentary and turned her words back on her.
“I don’t expect a spiritually blind person to understand prayer, but it is real. Today I attended the funeral of a baby, and often when parents are in the depths of grief, Jesus is their greatest comforter. You should investigate why that is, rather than belittling it,” Karen Hamilton, a candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, responded.
Washington Examiner contributor Kimberly Ross pointed out that Psaki had posted her own message in 2017, saying, “Thoughts and prayers with @SteveScalise and officers shot. And thank you to members, hill staffers for your public service.”
“Your party encourages mental illness in telling men they can be women, then encourages them identify as victims when the world does not indulge their perverse fantasies, and then screams ‘prayers are not enough’ when insane transgenders shoot up schools,” journalist Megan Basham said. “Prayer is vital. So is a mentally balanced populace that recognizes reality.”
“Good of you to point out that the National Guard needs to be deployed to every major Democrat-run city to prevent their mentally ill trans groupies from killing people,” Red State reporter Rusty Weiss wrote.
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Atlantic’s largest great white recorded as Northeast sees spike in shark population
As the summer days wind down, travelers are still hitting the beaches to take dips in the ocean.
Those in the Northeast may face a greater risk of shark attacks as new data shows an increase in great white sightings.
The Oqunquit Fire Department (OFD) in Maine shared a shark advisory last week on its Facebook page.
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“A credible sighting of a 6–8-foot great white shark was reported approximately 200 yards off Little Beach near the mouth of the river,” OFD wrote.
Officials put up a yellow flag on Aug. 19 to caution beachgoers and remind people to “follow posted advisories.”
A great white shark was recently spotted at the beginning of this month by a drone showing the shark swimming in water near Scarborough, Maine.
About 93 great white sharks have been detected in Maine since late August 2020, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
“Shark behavior is clearly shifting.”
In July, the largest great white shark in the Atlantic was recorded near Nantucket, Massachusetts, stretching nearly 14 feet in length, Fox News Digital previously reported.
There has also been an increase in great white sharks near the waters of Nova Scotia, Canada, according to a Marine Ecology Progress Series paper published in Inter-Research in May.
Researchers attribute the increase to an overall growth in the population of great whites between the years 2019 and 2021.
They also say it could be due to “changes in habitat use that cause the population distribution to shift northward during warmer months.”
There have been 47 unprovoked shark bites globally in 2024, with 28 taking place in the U.S., according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF).
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Activist Julie Andersen, founder of the New York-based Shark Angels, previously told Fox News Digital that several beach communities are seeing higher numbers of sharks this summer.
“Based on trends over the past few years, shark behavior is clearly shifting,” she said.
“From the West Coast to the East Coast and even parts of Mexico, sightings are increasing in places like California, Cape Cod, the Carolinas, Florida, and Baja.”
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Andersen said that in places like California or Cape Cod, Massachusetts, white shark populations are rebounding “thanks to decades of protection.” She said their return is a sign of healthier oceans.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s prenup may protect more than their fortunes, expert says
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce likely didn’t leave a blank space on a prenuptial agreement.
Swift announced Kelce had proposed in an Instagram post on Aug. 26. The pop star shared photos of the intimate moment, including the caption, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
The couple’s starpower means there’s a lot at stake when it comes to their marriage. Swift and Kelce have a combined estimated net worth of about $1.67 billion, according to Forbes. However, a prenup doesn’t have to just focus on the money aspect. Swift has been notably private about the specific details of her relationships. The couple could use a prenup to protect their privacy should anything go south in their marriage, according to family law attorney Monica Mazzei.
“Given that they are both public figures, a prenup can also ensure privacy in a divorce, such as precluding any disparaging social media posts or interviews,” Mazzei, a shareholder at Buchalter, explained. “Likewise, it can require the divorce to be heard by a private judge, further limiting any public exposure.”
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Due to the financial success of the singer and football star, a prenup was likely signed “far in advance” of Kelce’s romantic proposal, family lawyer Jacqueline Newman explained to Fox News Digital.
“There’s very little doubt in my mind that they’ll be negotiating after the fact,” Newman, a managing partner at Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein LLP, said. “I think that their teams would make it crucial for this to be something that must be done before the romantic gesture. So, I think they got rid of all the business part of it, and then he obviously dropped to a knee and proposed to her. But I can pretty much guarantee that the agreement is signed, sealed and already in a drawer somewhere.”
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Swift’s net worth surpassed $1 billion in October 2023, with the “Eras Tour,” her rerecorded albums and her latest releases pushing her to about $1.4 billion, according to Forbes.
The singer-songwriter pulled in over $2 billion in ticket sales for the tour – which featured performances of songs from all 11 of Swift’s studio albums, the outlet reported. Swift concluded the “Eras Tour” in December 2024 and has since announced the upcoming release of her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
For his part, Kelce is worth an estimated $70 million. While his main job has been playing tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Kelce has actually brought in the majority of his net worth from off the field. The outlet reported Kelce has earned $111 million from football, before taxes and other fees. However, he’s raked in an estimated $190 million from outside endeavors – including his and brother Jason’s $100 million “New Heights” podcast contract with Wondery.
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While prenuptial agreements are often seen as a “sign of mistrust,” a senior wealth advisor explained to Fox News Digital that they are actually a “proactive tool” of protection. Couples with substantial wealth, like Swift and Kelce, face far-reaching financial implications, according to Cassandra Rupp of Vanguard.
“While every circumstance is different, it’s common for wealthy partners to explore prenuptial agreements – not as a sign of mistrust, but as a proactive tool to protect individual assets, clarify financial responsibilities and preserve harmony,” she said. “A well-crafted prenup might include provisions for existing wealth, future earnings from intellectual property or business ventures, and even philanthropic commitments.”
The wealth advisor noted it’s not unusual for couples to include future income, such as royalties, endorsements or media rights.
“Ultimately, the focus should be on transparency, mutual respect and aligning financial values to support a strong foundation for the relationship,” Rupp added.
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Future income could come from Swift and Kelce’s wedding, if the couple chose to make the nuptials public. The streaming contract for a Swift-Kelce wedding would likely be “north of $110 million,” according to branding expert Eric Schiffer.
“I mean this ‘I do’ is a license to print money because, you know, streamers have wedding-night prices that make the old Kim Kardashian TV photo package look like baby money,” he told Fox News Digital. “So there’s a lot of opportunity. But I don’t see them doing that. I think even though the amount is probably north of $110 million that they could make, but the reputational tax is a killing machine for both of them.”
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Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook sues Trump over her dismissal
Federal Reserve Board of Governor Lisa Cook is suing President Donald Trump over her dismissal from the panel that guides the nation’s monetary policy.
The suit, filed in federal court on Thursday, stems from allegations that Cook committed mortgage fraud before she joined the Federal Reserve. The case is likely headed to the Supreme Court and marks a major escalation in the growing clash between the White House and the Federal Reserve.
TRUMP SAYS HE’S ‘ALWAYS’ READY FOR LEGAL FIGHT AS OUSTED FED GOVERNOR PLANS LAWSUIT
The White House pushed back after the lawsuit, insisting Trump acted within his authority to oust Cook.
“The President determined there was cause to remove a governor who was credibly accused of lying in financial documents from a highly sensitive position overseeing financial institutions,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The removal of a governor for cause improves the Federal Reserve Board’s accountability and credibility for both the markets and American people,” he added.
The Federal Reserve declined to comment. Cook’s lawyer did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump wrote in a letter to Cook on Aug. 25 that he had “sufficient cause” to fire her, saying her dismissal was “effective immediately.”
TRUMP REMOVES FEDERAL RESERVE GOVERNOR LISA COOK FROM OFFICE, CITING FRAUD ALLEGATIONS
A day later, Cook said she would not resign from her post at the Federal Reserve, the world’s most powerful central bank. “I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022,” Cook wrote in a statement. Her term on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors runs through January 2038.
It is not immediately clear if Cook has attempted to enter the Federal Reserve’s main headquarters in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood in D.C. since Trump’s letter terminating her.
The Federal Reserve declined to say whether Cook has tried to work from her office, is working remotely or retains access to the email and other resources she needs for her job.
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. This panel of central bankers is tasked with charting the nation’s economic path.
Cook’s ascension marked a historic first, as she became the first Black woman to serve as a governor on the Fed board. Now, her potential removal, entangled in legal action, could set another historic precedent.
The allegations were brought forward by Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee to an agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Pulte accused Cook of claiming two primary residences, one in Michigan and another in Georgia in 2021, with the goal of getting more favorable loan conditions.
On Aug. 15, Pulte sent the Justice Department a criminal referral regarding Cook in which he accused her of falsifying bank documents and property records.
TRUMP FIRED FED GOVERNOR LISA COOK OVER ALLEGED MORTGAGE FRAUD: WHAT DID SHE DO?
Cook has denied any wrongdoing, and said on the heels of Pulte’s referral that she has “no intention of being bullied to step down.”
“I do intend to take any questions about my financial history seriously as a member of the Federal Reserve and so I am gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts,” Cook wrote in a statement.
The Federal Reserve has previously acknowledged Cook’s potential legal action and said in an Aug. 27 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.
Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he was prepared for Cook’s potential legal fight.
“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 told reporters at the White House, referencing Cook’s alleged misconduct in securing mortgage loans.
When asked about replacing Cook on the Fed board, Trump told reporters that he has some “very good people for that position.”
Tensions between Trump and the Federal Reserve over monetary policy have intensified in recent months. Trump has placed the blame squarely on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for not lowering the federal funds target rate, which he says could save the nation “hundreds of billions of dollars.”
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Meanwhile, Powell has kept the central bank’s key borrowing rate target within a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, maintaining a measured, wait-and-see approach as officials gauge the economic effects of Trump’s tariffs. Over 80% of market participants are pricing in a 25% rate cut at September’s meeting, as tracked by the CME’s FedWatch Tool. which measures rate move probabilities.
“We’ll have a majority very shortly,” Trump said, adding that he will be able to have a greater influence in lowering rates. “So that’ll be great.”