A judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Democratic groups against one of Donald Trump’s executive orders. The Democrats claimed the order could threaten the independence of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which helps ensure fair elections in the U.S.
Trump signed the order shortly after returning to office in January. It was one of nearly 90 executive actions he issued by mid-March. Critics say many of these orders give him too much power and may weaken agencies that are supposed to operate without direct control from the president.
The judge, Amir Ali—who was appointed by President Biden—said the Democrats didn’t provide enough real evidence that Trump’s order was harming the FEC’s independence. According to the judge, the FEC hadn’t received any instructions from the White House telling it to change its behavior. The FEC also said it would continue working independently, as it always has.
Trump’s executive order stated that all federal agencies should be supervised by the president to make sure they’re accountable to the public. It argued that agencies like the FEC had too much power without enough oversight from elected leaders.
The Democratic groups argued that they rely on the FEC to give them fair, unbiased advice—especially when it comes to campaign spending, fundraising, and reporting. They worried that if the FEC started favoring Trump or his allies, it could give Republicans an unfair advantage.
The judge said that if new facts come to light showing that the FEC is no longer acting independently, the court would be open to hearing the case again in the future.
For now, Trump and his legal team consider this a win. The Democratic groups may try again if they can bring stronger evidence to court later on.
