In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 91-year-old precedent (Humphrey’s Executor) that had barred presidents from firing members of independent federal agencies without cause. The ruling upheld President Trump’s 2025 dismissal of Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, effectively turning FTC commissioners into at-will employees who serve at the president’s discretion. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts argued that officials wielding the president’s executive power must answer to him. The Court’s three liberal justices dissented sharply, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor warning that the decision grants the president powers that erode the separation of powers. The ruling also casts doubt on the independence of numerous other agencies—such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Consumer Product Safety Commission—though the Court signaled that the Federal Reserve’s autonomy remains protected, at least for now.

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