Can a president fire anyone he wants — even officials Congress meant to shield from politics?
The US Supreme Court just opened that door.
In a 6–3 decision, the justices ruled President Donald Trump can dismiss Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, a Democrat.
Her lawsuit over her firing plays out.
This ruling doesn’t just affect one commissioner.
It signals the Court is ready to reconsider a 90-year-old precedent — Humphrey’s Executor.
This precedent has long protected independent agencies like the FTC from direct White House control.
Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the dissent, warned the majority had “handed full control of all those agencies to the President.”
She added that their bipartisan nature could be “extinguished.”
Trump Takes Aim At Regulators
The FTC, which enforces consumer protection laws, has traditionally had a split membership.
Three commissioners from the president’s party and two from the opposition.
Trump fired two Democrats in March, sparking lawsuits and a heated debate over executive power.
The justices will hear full arguments in December.
Meanwhile, the Court is also weighing whether Trump can remove a Federal Reserve governor accused of wrongdoing but who denies the charges.
The stakes? Nothing less than how much independence Washington’s watchdogs will have in the future.
