The US Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to enforce President Donald Trump’s removal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, escalating a legal battle that could test the independence of the central bank.

In a filing Thursday, Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that lower court rulings blocking Cook’s ouster “flout many strands of this Court’s precedents,” urging the justices to allow Trump’s August 25 decision to take effect.

Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a Federal Reserve governor, was dismissed by Trump over allegations of mortgage fraud — charges she has denied. She filed a lawsuit in federal court on August 28, contending that the removal lacked legal basis and was politically motivated due to her policy positions.

On September 9, a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s move, allowing Cook to participate in this week’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting. She joined the majority in voting for a quarter-point interest rate cut. The US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit also rejected Trump’s attempt to remove her earlier this week.

The Justice Department maintains that as long as a president cites a cause for removal, it falls within his “unreviewable discretion.” If the Supreme Court sides with Trump, it could significantly expand presidential authority over the Federal Reserve, raising concerns about the central bank’s independence in setting monetary policy.

Cook, appointed in 2022 by former President Joe Biden to fill an unexpired term, is slated to serve until 2038. Her case now represents a critical test of both presidential power and the Fed’s autonomy at a time of heightened political scrutiny over interest rates and inflation.