Episode Details

In this episode of Unwritten Law, Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione break down the Supreme Court’s oral argument in Trump v. Cook, a case that puts presidential power, Federal Reserve independence, and the meaning of “for cause” removal squarely before the Court.

The discussion explores why the Justices appeared unusually skeptical of the government’s position, how the case arrived on the emergency docket, and whether a president must provide notice or a hearing before removing a Federal Reserve governor. Mark and John examine the distinction between the Fed’s interest-rate authority and its regulatory power, debate whether pre-appointment conduct can justify removal, and unpack the broader separation-of-powers implications.

If the Court limits the president here, does it invite a direct constitutional challenge to “for cause” protections? And what does this case signal about how the Court views executive control over independent agencies? A lively, substantive conversation about one of the most surprising Supreme Court arguments of the term.