Trump's fraud allegations on Lisa Cook challenged

A signed loan estimate tied to Lisa Cook’s Atlanta home is now threatening to blow a hole straight through Trump’s fraud allegations.

The document, reported by Reuters, clearly shows Cook told her lender in May 2021 that the property was a “vacation home,” not her main residence.

That puts her in direct conflict with claims by Trump officials that she lied to gain favorable mortgage terms by declaring two different homes as her primary residence.

Lisa, who is still holding her position as a Federal Reserve governor, completed the purchase of the Atlanta home shortly after receiving that loan estimate from Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union, based in Washington.

The details written in that document stand in contrast to the accusation that she listed both her Ann Arbor, Michigan home and the Atlanta one as primary residences.

The Trump camp says that would violate mortgage rules. But the estimate issued to Lisa describes the Atlanta home’s use as “Vacation Home,” plain and simple.

Trump orders dismissal, Cook sues to keep seat

The fight didn’t stay at paperwork. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, led by Bill Pulte, used mortgage filings to accuse Lisa of breaking the rules. Bill flagged the matter to the Department of Justice, triggering a federal probe.

That was followed by a direct order from Trump, now back in the White House, telling Lisa to pack up and leave the Fed. She didn’t. Instead, she filed a lawsuit against him, refusing to step down.

Bill’s claims are backed by federal mortgage forms that list both homes as “primary residences.” But those forms also include a clause that says that designation applies “unless Lender otherwise agrees in writing.”

The loan estimate given to Lisa was in writing. It says “Vacation Home.” Two real estate experts, neither of whom represent Lisa, told Reuters that this matters—because it shows she told her lender upfront about her intentions.

Lisa hasn’t commented recently. But she’s denied all accusations in the past, saying she’s done nothing wrong. She also owns an investment property in Massachusetts, not part of this controversy.

There’s no word on whether Bill or other Trump officials saw this loan estimate before moving forward with legal threats. FHFA didn’t answer when Reuters asked for a response. The lender, Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union, also stayed silent.

Tax filings and clearance forms support Cook’s version

Property records in Fulton County, where the Atlanta home sits, show Lisa never applied for a tax break for primary residents. A county tax official confirmed that. If she had really tried to call this place her main home, claiming that exemption would’ve been the move. She didn’t.

And it doesn’t end there. When Lisa filled out her security clearance paperwork in December 2021 to join the Fed, she listed the Atlanta house as a “2nd home.”

That detail appeared on a government form known as SF-86, which deals with national security background checks. While not tied to the mortgage directly, that declaration lines up with the loan estimate she gave her lender earlier in the year.

This case isn’t just about one person’s mortgage forms. It’s part of a wider push by Trump to take tighter control of the Federal Reserve, which traditionally operates outside the president’s reach. Since taking office again in early 2025, Trump has gone after Fed members who resisted interest rate cuts.

Lisa Cook is among those who’ve stood firm. Meanwhile, scrutiny over financial records of government officials is spreading. Lisa isn’t the only one under the spotlight. Just last week, Reuters revealed that Bill’s own father and stepmother had declared two properties in two different states as their primary residence.

That cost them. A Michigan town pulled their tax exemption and billed them for back taxes. Bill and his family didn’t reply to questions.

So while Trump’s team is pointing fingers at Lisa, documents from her lender and local tax offices are pushing back hard. Everything hangs on who signed what, and when. And whether Trump’s team actually did their homework before they called it fraud.

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