‘Very Intimidating!’ CNBC’s Jim Cramer Hits Trump Over His Attempt to Fire Fed Governor

CNBC’s Jim Cramer questioned President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for alleged mortgage fraud (a crime for which Cook has not been formally charged).

In a robust discussion with CNBC colleagues Carl Quintanilla and David Faber on Tuesday’s edition of Squawk on the Street, Cramer argued that without an indictment against Cook, it’s “really difficult” to oust her from the Fed.

“She hasn’t been charged,” Cramer said. “So, until she’s charged, I don’t know why the president would go now — unless he’s really confident she will be charged, and I don’t think he knows that…. without her being charged, it’s really difficult to fire her — because you’re just basically saying, ‘Eh, since she may have committed fraud, I’m firing her.'”

“In this case, the president — I guess — is judge and jury,” Faber added.

Faber and Cramer agreed Cook has received “no due process” — although Cramer went on to say he believes even an indictment would provide grounds for Cook’s ouster.

“I do think that we have to go back to what common sense says — which is if you’ve been indicted for mortgage fraud, you shouldn’t serve,” Cramer said. “But she hasn’t been indicted for mortgage fraud, so why should she step down on the possibility that she’s being investigated? No, she shouldn’t step down.”

Cramer went on to say Trump might be trying to force Cook out with his threats on social media.

“If you think that you’re going to wake up one day and discover that the Justice Department may or may not be indicting you, it’s highly embarrassing!” Cramer said. “It’s terrible to find out that you might be charged by the Justice Department. But you don’t know. But the president is taking swift action. It’s very intimidating!”

Watch above, via CNBC.