Key facts
- The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to increase presidential authority over independent federal agencies.
- The decision effectively allows the president to fire members of independent agencies.
- Fired officials, including FTC commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, view the ruling as a threat to the civil service.
- The ruling overturns an 80-year-old precedent that limited presidential power over such agencies.
- Concerns exist that the decision will lead to politicization and corruption within federal agencies.
Federal officials who were dismissed by the Trump administration have characterized the recent Supreme Court decision as a severe blow to the civil service, warning that it could expose independent government agencies to corruption and presidential manipulation.
Since his January 2025 return to office, Donald Trump has reportedly fired over 50 officials from federal agencies. This action followed the administration's efforts to have the Supreme Court overturn a 1935 ruling, known as Humphrey's Executor, which had previously limited the president's power to remove individuals from independent agencies.
The Supreme Court's decision in the case, Trump v Slaughter, which involved the firing of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Democratic commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, effectively grants the president broad authority to dismiss members of these independent bodies. Slaughter described receiving notification of her termination via email in March 2025 while attending her child's school play, an event that caused her significant distress.
Slaughter and fellow Democratic FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya, who was also fired, filed a lawsuit challenging their dismissals. Bedoya eventually resigned due to financial reasons, while Slaughter continued the legal battle, supported by her husband's income. A federal judge initially reinstated Slaughter in July 2025, but the administration appealed, and the Supreme Court allowed Trump to remove her pending the case's continuation. The court's decision to hear the case was seen by Slaughter as a negative omen for the precedent's survival.
On June 29, 2026, the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 vote, expanded the president's power over independent federal agencies. Slaughter expressed deep concern that this ruling undermines protections for all government workers, potentially leading to a highly politicized workforce. She fears a future where political donations influence policy decisions and agencies that promote economic fairness are compromised.
Slaughter also criticized proponents of the decision, arguing that businesses supporting broader deregulatory authority under Trump might face adverse consequences when a future Democratic administration wields similar expanded powers. She concluded that rules enforced by politically accountable officials removable by the president lose their efficacy.
Following this ruling, the court declined to review the case of Cathy Harris, who was dismissed from the Merit Systems Protection Board, an agency tasked with safeguarding merit-based hiring. Harris echoed Slaughter's concerns, stating the decision "seriously points a dagger at the heart of the civil service" and could deter individuals from entering federal service due to fears of politically motivated dismissals.
Harris believes the decision undermines the independence of the MSPB, potentially reverting the civil service to a patronage-based system susceptible to corruption. She cited a New York Times report suggesting the Trump administration had influenced the MSPB on a constitutional argument concerning presidential power, which she sees as indicative of how the Slaughter decision will enable White House interference in agency operations.
Other federal officials remain in legal uncertainty. Deirdre Hamilton, a member of the National Mediation Board, was fired by Trump in October 2025 despite her term having expired. Hamilton argues her dismissal failed to comply with the statute, which requires board members to serve until a replacement is qualified, emphasizing the importance of a full board for stability and dispute mediation.