By SUZANNE DOWNING
June 30, 2026 – The US Supreme Court on Monday handed President Donald Trump a major constitutional victory, ruling 6-3 that presidents have the authority to remove members of the Federal Trade Commission at will, striking down a 91-year-old precedent that had protected commissioners from being fired except for misconduct or neglect of duty.
The decision overturns the court’s 1935 ruling in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States and strengthens the constitutional principle known as the “unitary executive,” which holds that the president must have control over executive branch officials in order to carry out the duties of the office.
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said the Constitution requires that executive officers remain accountable to the president, who in turn is accountable to the American people. “The President must have the assistance of officers he can trust,” Roberts wrote.
The ruling allows Trump to remove Democratic FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, who challenged her dismissal after being told she no longer fit the administration’s priorities.
In a sharp dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the decision dramatically expands presidential authority and weakens the independence of federal commissions created by Congress. She argued that agencies such as the FTC were designed to operate with some insulation from partisan politics.
The decision could have far-reaching implications beyond the FTC. Legal observers say it may affect the structure and independence of dozens of federal agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and other multi-member boards that have traditionally operated outside direct presidential control.
At the same time, the court ruled that Trump cannot fire Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, at least right now. The court decided, 5-4, that Cook can stay in her job while her legal challenge to her firing continues.
One thought on “Supreme Court hands Trump a victory, allowing him to fire Fed commissioner”
“Sotomayor…argued that agencies such as the FTC were designed to operate with some insulation from partisan politics.”
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Yeah, self-preservation and fiefdom building as they pile layer upon layer of regulations over how we citizens can and should live our lives. It’s probably time to disband a few of those commissions and agencies.