Independent Agencies

• The Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled that the president has the authority to fire officials who wield executive authority, regardless of whether they have fixed terms set by law. • This decision challenges the long-standing 1935 precedent that protected bipartisan boards of experts from being dismissed due to political disagreements. • While the ruling expands presidential power over various independent agencies and commissions, the Court specifically noted that the Federal Reserve remains an exception.

• The Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump cannot fire Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, protecting her position within the central bank. • Conversely, the Court granted the president broader authority to remove officials from other independent agencies, specifically green-lighting the firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. • This split decision balances the independence of the Federal Reserve against the president's desire for greater executive control over various federal regulatory bodies.

• The US Supreme Court ruled that the president has the authority to fire leaders of independent agencies, overturning the 1935 landmark precedent *Humphrey’s Executor v United States*. • The decision stemmed from a legal challenge regarding the White House's March 2025 firing of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) member Rebecca Slaughter. • This ruling significantly expands executive power by removing long-standing legal protections that limited presidential control over independent regulatory bodies.

Case focused on White House’s March 2025 firing of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca SlaughterUS supreme court decisions – live updatesSign up for the Breaking News US emailThe US supreme court ruled that Donald Trump can fire leaders of independent agencies or commissions, ending 90 years of court precedent that curbs executive power.The vote in the case of Trump v Slaughter is 6-3, with dissents from Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan. Continue reading...