Former President Donald Trump faced a big legal setback this week. A federal judge ruled that his decision to fire Rebecca Slaughter, a Democrat serving on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), was not legal. The judge said Trump didn’t follow the rules that protect certain government officials from being fired without a good reason.
Trump had also removed another Democrat from the FTC, Alvaro Bedoya, back in March. Critics said this was an attempt to take more control over the independent agency. The judge agreed, saying that the President cannot treat the FTC like a tool of the White House. She reminded everyone that Congress designed the FTC to be independent and not easily influenced by whoever is in power.
Slaughter responded to the ruling by saying she’s ready to return to her job and that the law protects not just her, but leaders at other important agencies like the SEC and the Federal Reserve too.
Trump’s administration is appealing the judge’s decision. They argue that the President should have the right to fire people in executive roles, especially if they’re carrying out his policies. They say this is about restoring presidential power and pushing back against what Trump calls the “deep state”—a term he uses to describe parts of the government he believes are working against him.
The FTC normally has five commissioners, and no more than three can belong to the same political party. After Trump fired the two Democrats, only three commissioners remain. The FTC’s job is to protect consumers and enforce laws that stop companies from becoming too powerful.
This legal case could eventually end up in the Supreme Court, where six of the nine justices are considered conservative. If the appeals court or Supreme Court sides with Trump, it could shift how much control presidents have over independent agencies in the future.
Meanwhile, Trump has been making other changes too. He wants Andrew Ferguson to lead the FTC and has appointed former Congressman Dan Bishop to help cut regulations and reduce government spending. He says these steps are part of his effort to remove political bias from government agencies.
The final decision will depend on how higher courts rule on the appeal. This case could influence how much independence agencies like the FTC will have going forward.
