US Supreme Court Rules Trump Can Fire Leaders of Independent Agencies, Ending 90-Year Precedent

The US Supreme Court has ruled in a 6-3 decision that President Donald Trump has the authority to fire leaders of independent agencies, overturning a nearly 90-year precedent that limited executive power. The case, Trump v Slaughter, centered on the President’s firing of Rebecca Slaughter, a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), via email in March 2025. Slaughter sued, arguing she was fired without cause, and initially won her reinstatement in a lower court.

The Supreme Court’s decision reverses the landmark 1935 case Humphrey’s Executor v United States, which protected the independence of agencies like the FTC by limiting the president’s ability to remove commissioners without cause. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan dissented, with Sotomayor writing that the ruling gives the President powers “unknown even to the English Crown” and undermines the balance of power.

Slaughter expressed disappointment, highlighting the ruling’s impact on about two dozen similar agencies responsible for market integrity and economic decision-making. She also noted the Court’s simultaneous decision to block Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, suggesting inconsistency in how different agencies are treated.

Former officials warn that overturning Humphrey’s Executor could erode agency independence, making leaders hesitant to act without White House approval. The ruling is seen as a significant expansion of executive authority, with potential implications for regulatory bodies across the US government.