Adriana Kugler, who sits on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, unexpectedly announced her resignation on Friday, giving President Donald Trump a new vacancy to fill at the Fed.

Kugler, 55, first assumed office at the Fed board in 2023. Her resignation will be effective a week from Friday, according to a press release from the Fed. She will return to Georgetown University as a professor in the fall.

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“It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,” Kugler said. “I am especially honored to have served during a critical time in achieving our dual mandate of bringing down prices and keeping a strong and resilient labor market.”

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, who has been in the spotlight for Trump’s attacks against him in recent weeks, thanked Kugler for her time on the board.

“She brought impressive experience and academic insights to her work on the Board,” he said in a statement.

Kugler was confirmed by the Senate to the Fed board in a 53-45 vote. All Republicans voted against her except for Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD).

The resignation comes at a precarious time for the Fed. Trump has repeatedly admonished the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets interest rates, for refusing to cut rates. Kugler is part of the FOMC, and now Trump will have an opening to nominate her replacement.

The change is notable because, while Trump has mused about firing Powell, which would be legally questionable, Powell’s term is coming to an end regardless next year. Trump will likely nominate a chair who is more dovish on monetary policy and will be more open to cutting interest rates.

DON’T EXPECT BIG INTEREST RATE CUTS IMMEDIATELY AFTER POWELL IS REPLACED AT FED

However, the chair would need a majority of the FOMC to agree to cut rates, so Kugler’s opening could benefit the president.

Two sitting FOMC participants broke with Powell this week on holding interest rates steady: Fed governor Christopher Waller, and Fed vice chairwoman of supervision Michelle Bowman. They preferred a rate cut.