Director Richard Cordray said on Tuesday the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will continue enforcement of existing consumer protection rules as it digests what impact President Donald Trump’s order to halt new regulations might have on the consumer watchdog.

“We have, as I say, an independent mandate…we will continue working to protect consumers. We will continue to carry forward our law enforcement work.”

The question is how might Mr. Trump’s directive apply to independent agencies such as the CFPB. Experts are closely watching to see if the bureau goes ahead with major rules in the pipeline after the Trump administration took power. Watched particularly closely are rules governing activities in payday lending, forced arbitration in consumer contracts and prepaid cards.

Mr. Cordray declined to say what he might do if Mr. Trump attempts to fire him, as advocated for by some congressional Republicans. He did say protecting the independence of agencies set up to be a step removed from politics is something “worth fighting for.”

Mr. Cordray said the bureau has “major suits pending” as part of its enforcement agenda. On Monday - the first full business day of the Trump administration – the CFPB announced a settlement with Citigroup, the bureau’s 15th enforcement action in the past 2 months. This underscores Cordray’s intention to keep pursuing a busy agenda, unfazed by the intensifying heat from the Republican administration to rein in his agency and remove him from its helm.

The consumer watchdog created in the aftermath of the financial crisis is on the front line of Mr. Trump’s war on Obama-era financial regulations, and Mr. Cordray has emerged as a major target of the Republican assault. Congressional Republicans are stepping up their attack on the CFPB, which they and the financial industry have long criticized as a symbol of regulatory overreach. They are preparing legislation to rein in its budget, weaken its leadership structure and narrow its authority. They are looking for ways that would allow Mr. Trump to fire Mr. Cordray despite legal hurdles.

A CFPB spokeswoman has said Congress has confirmed Mr. Cordray to serve a term until July 2018 and he has no plans to step down.