A key decision maker in the federal housing apparatus, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) oversees the regulator of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and the Federal Home Loan Banks. But Bill Pulte has been anything but a conventional FHFA director (pardon the term, since we’re not talking about conforming loan limits just […]
How Bill Pulte has reshaped FHFA and the GSEs Read More »
Following a late Wednesday night decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade to halt President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on trade partners, a second federal court issued a similar decision in which it ruled that the invocation of a 1977 law does not give the president unilateral authority to impose such levies. But a
Whiplash: As second court orders halt to tariffs, appeals court keeps them in place Read More »
President Donald Trump met Thursday with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the White House to discuss economic developments, as Trump continues to press the Fed to lower interest rates. During the meeting, Trump told Powell he’s making “a mistake” by not lowering interest rates, the White House said Thursday. The meeting was at Trump’s
Trump to Powell: It’s a ‘mistake’ to not lower interest rates Read More »
A coalition of elected officials across the country is calling on Congress to continue funding of affordable housing programs targeted for elimination by the Trump administration. Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget calls for the cancellation of the Community Development Block Grant and Home Investment Partnerships programs, both offered through the Department of Housing and
‘Reject Trump HUD cuts,’ city, state leaders tell Congress Read More »
A federal trade court has blocked President Donald Trump’s efforts to impose broad tariffs under emergency powers — ruling the move exceeded the authority granted to the president by the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade issued the decision Wednesday, siding with plaintiffs who
Federal Court blocks Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs Read More »
President Trump last week promised a quick answer on whether to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government conservatorship. And it appears he’s already reached a decision: it’s time to take them ‘public.’ In a post published on Truth Social Tuesday night, Trump wrote: Our great Mortgage Agencies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, provide
Trump: I’m taking Fannie and Freddie ‘public’ with implicit guarantee Read More »
President Donald Trump’s bombshell Truth Social post on Wednesday night sent the stock prices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac soaring. But removing the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) from conservatorship after 16-plus years would be a complicated endeavor. And if they’re not removed carefully, costs for borrowers could spike. Trump’s announcement that he’s considering a public
Trump’s GSE exit pursuit is complicated (and could be costly) Read More »
Russell Vought is the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has withdrawn guidance from the Biden administration that had expanded states’ rights, allowing individual states to broadly enforce violations of federal consumer protection laws. The CFPB under former CFPB Director Rohit Chopra interpreted the Consumer Financial Protection
CFPB blocks state enforcement of federal consumer laws Read More »
John Heltman A panel of appellate judges will decide whether the Trump administration can fire 90% of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s staff through a reduction-in-force without impacting the agency’s legally-mandated work. On Friday afternoon, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia heard oral arguments on whether a
Appeals court hears CFPB argument for 90% reduction in force Read More »
Following a dramatic turn of events at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) last week, the newly-installed acting leader acknowledged that the agency does not have a disaster response plan even though hurricane season is jus two weeks away. Former acting FEMA chief Cameron Hamilton initially raised eyebrows when he was chosen to lead the
FEMA isn’t prepared for hurricane season, acting director concedes Read More »