If it's Tuesday, President Trump looks to ramp up his control over the Federal Reserve

as he moves to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook over unconfirmed accusations of mortgage fraud,

as she vows to stay on the job and take the president to court, arguing he's overstepping his authority.

Plus, top Democrats sharpen their response to President Trump's crackdown on Democratic-run cities

over the issue of crime, with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker accusing Mr. Trump of being a wannabe

dictator in a call to action for Democrats.

And Israel says it's investigating back-to-back stripes on a Gaza hospital that killed 20,

including five journalists, calling the incident a, quote, tragic mishap,

as Prime Minister Netanyahu plows forward with military operations despite the criticism.

Welcome to meet the press now. I'm Kelly O'Donnell in Washington, where President Trump continues to push the limits of his executive authority, threatening to ramp up his deployment of the military in Democratic-run cities, and now attempting to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, citing a criminal referral from his federal housing finance agency director, William Pulte,

that accuses the Biden appointee of mortgage fraud. The president reiterating that allegation

during a cabinet meeting today. She seems to have had an infraction, and she can't have an

infraction, especially that infraction because she's in charge of, if you think about it, mortgages.

And we need people that are 100% above board.

And it doesn't seem like she was.

Cook, who has not been charged with any crime, is suing the president, saying he does not have the authority to fire her, that she will not

resign and intends to stay on the job. Now, moments ago, the Federal Reserve weighed in for the

first time, suggesting it would wait for the courts to settle the dispute before taking any action

with regard to Cook. In the statement, the Fed also emphasizing that, quote,

Congress through the Federal Reserve Act directs that governors serve in long, fixed terms,

and may be removed by the president only for cause. Long tenures and removal protections

for governors serve as a vital safeguard, ensuring that monetary policy decisions are based on

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