Rep. Ro Khanna Says Trump Is Following Nixon's Playbook In Attempt To 'interfere' With The Federal Reserve

WASHINGTON — Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said that Federal Reserve politician Lisa Cook should merchandise her owe documents but accused President Donald Trump of “following Richard Nixon’s playbook to interfere with” nan Federal Reserve.

Khanna’s comments successful a Sunday question and reply connected NBC News’ “Meet nan Press” travel aft Trump moved to occurrence Cook connected Monday, pointing to allegations of mortgage fraud. Cook is challenging nan move successful a lawsuit.

The lawmaker was referring to President Richard Nixon pressuring the then-Fed chair to keep liking rates little earlier nan 1972 election, which Nixon won earlier resigning 2 years later because of nan Watergate scandal.

Decades later, Trump’s effort to occurrence Cook marked an bonzer move to exert power complete an independent agency, a move that Democrats person painted arsenic “authoritarian” and a “power grab,” while Trump accused Cook of “deceitful and perchance criminal conduct.”

“She should beryllium transparent,” Khanna said, responding to a mobility astir whether Cook should merchandise her owe documents to conflict nan allegations. “But this has thing to do pinch nan specifics of Lisa Cook. This has to do pinch Donald Trump pursuing Richard Nixon’s playbook to interfere pinch nan Fed and bully nan Fed.”

He based on that Trump’s tariff policies were opinionated successful nan measurement of nan Federal Reserve lowering rates, arsenic Trump has pushed for.

“The irony is that it’s his ain policies that person created nan situation,” Khanna said. “If he conscionable repealed nan broad tariffs, he wouldn’t beryllium putting nan inflationary unit that exists, and nan Fed would beryllium capable to trim rates.”

Asked again whether Cook should merchandise her owe documents to combat allegations of fraud, Khanna agreed.

“Well, judge she should merchandise them,” Khanna said. “She’s should beryllium transparent truthful that we spot that this is conscionable a governmental football.”

Cook sued Trump connected Thursday, arguing his attempt to occurrence her was “unlawful and void.” Lawyers for Cook and nan White House appeared earlier a judge 1 time later, though nan judge yet did not norm connected Cook’s petition for a impermanent restraining bid to forestall her from being fired while nan lawsuit proceeds.

The president has been vocally pushing for nan Federal Reserve to little liking rates, often berating Chair Jerome Powell. The Federal Reserve is set to meet in September to find whether to little liking rates.

Trump’s disapproval of Cook began aft Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte revenge a criminal referral against Cook, accusing her of putting mendacious accusation connected owe applications earlier joining nan Fed. Pulte revenge a second criminal referral last week, accusing her of misrepresenting different spot connected a owe document. Cook’s lawyer deed back, calling nan referral “an evident smear campaign.”

Khanna’s comments travel days earlier Congress is group to return from August recess, gearing up for different high-stakes showdown complete files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., are co-sponsoring a measure to make nan Trump management merchandise “all unclassified records” connected Epstein. The conflict complete Epstein roiled Congress truthful forcefully this summertime that House Speaker Mike Johnson began summertime recess 1 time early aft Democrats planned to unit votes related to Epstein.

The bipartisan duo besides plans to big a property convention connected Wednesday pinch “survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s abuse,” according to nan press release.

Khanna said Sunday that he is “very confident” his and Massie’s measure will pass. The congressman said that nan Wednesday property convention “will beryllium explosive,” adding that “many” of nan speakers person not spoken publically astir their experiences before.

“They will beryllium telling their story, and they will beryllium saying intelligibly to nan American nationalist that they want nan merchandise of nan Epstein files for afloat closure connected this matter,” Khanna said.