Morning Brief: Fed Governor Defies Trump, Chinese Student Deal & WH Clamps Down On Foreign Truckers

President Trump fires a Biden-appointed Federal Reserve governor over an investigation into alleged mortgage fraud, setting up a historic legal showdown. In a surprising policy shift, President Trump calls for allowing hundreds of thousands of Chinese students into U.S. universities. The Department of Transportation cracks down on states that issue commercial driver’s licenses to truckers who are not proficient in English.

It’s Wednesday, August 27, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.

Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:

If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:

Trump Fires Fed Governor, Setting Up Legal Battle

Topline: President Trump has fired Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a Biden appointee, citing a Department of Justice investigation into alleged mortgage fraud, a move that Cook is refusing to accept, setting up a historic legal showdown.

On Monday night, President Trump fired Cook “for cause,” citing a DOJ investigation into whether she committed mortgage fraud by allegedly claiming primary residence in two separate states to secure more favorable loan terms. “We need people that are 100% above board — and it doesn’t seem like she was,” Trump said.

Cook responded with a statement saying the president “has no authority to do so” and that she will not resign, announcing her intention to file a lawsuit. The move marks the first time in the Fed’s history that a president has removed a member of the board of governors and could set up a legal battle that goes to the Supreme Court.

End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships

The shakeup at the Fed comes as the Trump administration made another major economic move, with the U.S. government acquiring a 10% stake in tech giant Intel for nearly $9 billion. The White House framed the move as a matter of national security, aimed at reviving the U.S. semiconductor industry and breaking America’s reliance on China.

Trump Calls for More Chinese Students in U.S. Universities

Topline: In a surprising policy shift that has drawn criticism from some allies, President Trump has called for raising the quota for Chinese nationals allowed to study in the United States to 600,000.

The president defended the move in a cabinet meeting, arguing that many less prestigious U.S. universities would not survive financially without the revenue from Chinese students. The proposal has drawn criticism from some conservatives who worry about the national security risks, including the theft of technology and research by students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

The move also appears to contrast with the administration’s previously announced hardline stance. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration would “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students” who are connected to the CCP or are studying in “critical fields.”

DOT Cracks Down on Non-English-Speaking Truckers

Topline: Following a fatal crash in Florida caused by an illegal immigrant, the Department of Transportation is cracking down on states that issue commercial driver’s licenses to truckers who are not proficient in English.

The move comes after Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, killed three people in a crash caused by an illegal U-turn in a semi-truck. Singh had a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) from a sanctuary state and was later found to be unable to properly identify most highway traffic signs.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that states currently in violation of an executive order requiring English proficiency, such as Washington, California, and New Mexico, have 30 days to come into compliance or risk losing federal funding. “We just want to keep drivers safe,” Duffy said. “Not in just red states, Americans drive in all states … and they deserve to be safe.”

In a related move, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last week that the State Department has paused the issuance of work visas for foreign truck drivers. Rubio said the move was necessary because “the increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”