Supreme Court hands Trump extra power to fire FTC members, overturns 91-year-old precedent
The court said he can fire members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over policy differences, a decision that significantly expands presidential authority over independent federal agencies
- Jun 30, 2026,
- Updated Jun 30, 2026 1:08 PM IST
President Donald Trump scored one of the biggest legal victories of his presidency on Monday after the US Supreme Court ruled in his favour.
The court said he can fire members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over policy differences, a decision that significantly expands presidential authority over independent federal agencies and overturns a landmark 1935 precedent that had protected many regulators from being removed at will.
The ruling marks a major shift in the balance of power between the White House and independent government agencies. It also strengthens the US president's control over much of the executive branch, although the court made clear that the decision should not be interpreted as weakening the independence of the US Federal Reserve. The 6-3 decision split along ideological lines, with the court's conservative majority backing Trump and the three liberal justices dissenting.
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Court overturns 91-year-old precedent
The case centred on Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic FTC commissioner appointed by former President Joe Biden. Trump dismissed Slaughter in 2025 over policy disagreements, despite a federal law that allowed FTC commissioners to be removed only for reasons such as inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct.
The Supreme Court ruled that those protections violate the US Constitution because they limit the president's executive authority.
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said Trump's decision to remove Slaughter "is not a close case."
"The FTC's for-cause removal provision violates the separation of powers," Roberts wrote, as quoted by Reuters. "In its present form, the FTC enforces and administers some 80 statutes, which cover almost every facet of our Nation's economy. The tasks it undertakes are 'the very essence of execution of the law' -- precisely the president's constitutional role."
The ruling formally overturns Humphrey's Executor v. United States, a 1935 Supreme Court decision that had allowed Congress to protect leaders of certain independent agencies from being dismissed for political or policy reasons.
Trump celebrates 'big win'
Trump quickly welcomed the ruling, calling it one of the most significant decisions on presidential authority in decades. On social media, he described the judgment as a "BIG WIN."
He said the ruling confirmed "Presidential Power in our Country to remove Executive Branch Officers and Agency Appointees, or Representatives, under Article II."
"This Decision was long sought by United States Presidents, dating all the way back to the 1930s," Trump wrote. He added that it was "one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers."
The ruling is a major victory for Trump's long-standing push to expand presidential authority. It reinforces the "unitary executive" theory, which holds that the Constitution gives the US president broad control over the executive branch, including the power to remove officials at independent agencies despite protections enacted by Congress.
President Donald Trump scored one of the biggest legal victories of his presidency on Monday after the US Supreme Court ruled in his favour.
The court said he can fire members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over policy differences, a decision that significantly expands presidential authority over independent federal agencies and overturns a landmark 1935 precedent that had protected many regulators from being removed at will.
The ruling marks a major shift in the balance of power between the White House and independent government agencies. It also strengthens the US president's control over much of the executive branch, although the court made clear that the decision should not be interpreted as weakening the independence of the US Federal Reserve. The 6-3 decision split along ideological lines, with the court's conservative majority backing Trump and the three liberal justices dissenting.
DON'T MISS: 'Not anti-American, wasn't kneeling': Giorgia Meloni's latest message after Trump row
Court overturns 91-year-old precedent
The case centred on Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic FTC commissioner appointed by former President Joe Biden. Trump dismissed Slaughter in 2025 over policy disagreements, despite a federal law that allowed FTC commissioners to be removed only for reasons such as inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct.
The Supreme Court ruled that those protections violate the US Constitution because they limit the president's executive authority.
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said Trump's decision to remove Slaughter "is not a close case."
"The FTC's for-cause removal provision violates the separation of powers," Roberts wrote, as quoted by Reuters. "In its present form, the FTC enforces and administers some 80 statutes, which cover almost every facet of our Nation's economy. The tasks it undertakes are 'the very essence of execution of the law' -- precisely the president's constitutional role."
The ruling formally overturns Humphrey's Executor v. United States, a 1935 Supreme Court decision that had allowed Congress to protect leaders of certain independent agencies from being dismissed for political or policy reasons.
Trump celebrates 'big win'
Trump quickly welcomed the ruling, calling it one of the most significant decisions on presidential authority in decades. On social media, he described the judgment as a "BIG WIN."
He said the ruling confirmed "Presidential Power in our Country to remove Executive Branch Officers and Agency Appointees, or Representatives, under Article II."
"This Decision was long sought by United States Presidents, dating all the way back to the 1930s," Trump wrote. He added that it was "one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers."
The ruling is a major victory for Trump's long-standing push to expand presidential authority. It reinforces the "unitary executive" theory, which holds that the Constitution gives the US president broad control over the executive branch, including the power to remove officials at independent agencies despite protections enacted by Congress.