Donald Trump's bid to fire a US central bank rate-setter has suffered a setback after a federal judge blocked the move.

The president revealed last month that he was removing Lisa Cook from her post at the Federal Reserve on alleged mortgage fraud grounds.

The move was widely seen by commentators as a bid to destroy the Fed's independence through the appointment of a new governor who would support his bid for interest rate cuts to boost the trade war-hit US economy.

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Ms Cook, who denies wrongdoing and any cause to dismiss her, was appointed to the Fed's board by former US president Joe Biden. The board forms part of the panel that votes on US interest rate decisions.

She secured a preliminary court ruling late on Tuesday which

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