US Supreme Court Backs Trump’s FTC Firing, Expanding Presidential Powers

The United States Supreme Court has ruled in favour of President Donald Trump’s decision to remove a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a move that strengthens presidential control over federal agencies.

In a 6–3 decision on Monday, the court’s conservative majority overturned a long-standing 1935 legal precedent that had allowed Congress to protect officials at certain independent agencies from being removed by the president without a specific reason.

The case involved FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, who was dismissed by Trump in 2025 after disagreements over policy. The court ruled that protections preventing FTC members from being removed except for specific reasons were unconstitutional restrictions on presidential authority.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said the FTC carries out major government responsibilities that fall under the president’s constitutional role of enforcing laws.

“The FTC’s removal protections violate the separation of powers,” Roberts wrote.

The three liberal justices disagreed with the decision, warning that it gives the president unusually broad authority over independent government institutions.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the ruling could transform dozens of independent agencies into bodies controlled directly by the president.

Trump celebrated the ruling on social media, calling it a “BIG WIN” and saying it confirmed presidential power to remove executive branch officials.

Slaughter, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, criticised the decision, saying she was disappointed that the court overturned a precedent that had influenced government institutions for more than 90 years.

The ruling could affect other independent agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board and other regulatory bodies, although the court said the decision was focused on the FTC case.

The Supreme Court’s decision overturned the 1935 case known as Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, which had limited a president’s ability to remove certain agency officials for political reasons.

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