BKP Politics, episode 349: TRUMP’S POWER GRAB IGNITES – a Coup?

On August 25, 2025, President Donald Trump fired Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook—the first such ouster in 111 years—over alleged 2021 mortgage fraud involving dual primary residence claims in Michigan and Georgia, as cited in a criminal referral by FHFA Director Bill Pulte to AG Pam Bondi. Cook, Biden’s 2022 appointee and the first Black woman on the Fed board, refused to resign, claiming no "cause" under the Federal Reserve Act, setting up a Supreme Court showdown that could threaten Fed independence and target Chair Jerome Powell (term ends 2026). Concurrently, a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling on August 21 axed $783M in NIH DEI research grants. Trump’s economic moves escalated with an Intel stake via CHIPS Act grants and a “golden share” in Nippon Steel’s U.S. Steel acquisition—sparking fears of Chinese-style “communist capitalism.” GOP voter registration surged by 4M+ in 30 closed-primary states. Internationally, Trump’s meeting with South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung pushed Korean unification without a peace treaty. Domestically, Trump’s plan for National Guard units in Chicago (262 homicides YTD, down 30% per CPD), Baltimore, NYC, Oakland, and LA faces resistance from Gov. JB Pritzker, who called it an “abuse of power” amid Posse Comitatus Act concerns. A Maryland judge blocked Trump’s removal of a man during trial, citing judicial overreach. Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee’s Epstein probe subpoenaed his estate for a “client list” and call logs, but ex-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta—behind Epstein’s 2008 plea deal—voluntarily testifies despite not being subpoenaed, raising legitimacy concerns. These moves, from nationalizing industries to urban crackdowns and electoral shifts, fuel fears of an authoritarian “coup” as Trump reshapes institutions, with California’s “illegal” districts and GOP voter gains threatening Democratic strongholds.