Trump asks Supreme Court to let him fire FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter

President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to allow him to fire Federal Trade Commission commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, following lower court rulings that reinstated her after he terminated her in March. This move is part of a broader effort by Trump to assert control over independent federal agencies. On Thursday, September 4, 2025, the Trump administration filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, requesting to keep Slaughter from her duties while the legal battle continues. The administration cited recent Supreme Court decisions that have supported Trump’s authority to remove agency heads. Trump initially fired Slaughter and another Democratic commissioner, Alvaro Bedoya, in March 2025, without stating a cause. Both commissioners were appointed during the Biden administration, and their removals were challenged in court. Bedoya later resigned and dropped his case, but Slaughter pursued reinstatement. In July, a federal district court ruled that Slaughter’s firing was illegal because FTC commissioners can only be removed for cause, such as neglect or malfeasance, as established by law and precedent. The court ordered her reinstatement. This week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision in a 2-1 ruling, emphasizing that the government has no likelihood of success on appeal given controlling Supreme Court precedent, specifically referencing the 1935 case Humphrey’s Executor v. United States. The Trump administration, through the Solicitor General, argues that the president should have the authority to remove officials wielding executive power, and points to recent Supreme Court orders that have allowed similar removals. They seek not only a pause on reinstatement but also for the Supreme Court to hear the case on its merits. This case is part of a larger pattern where Trump has targeted officials from previous administrations, including an ongoing effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over allegations of mortgage fraud. These actions raise questions about the stability and independence of federal regulatory bodies. If the Supreme Court takes up the case, it could potentially overturn long-standing precedents that protect the autonomy of independent agencies from political interference. Legal experts and the court’s liberal wing have expressed concerns about the erosion of these protections. Slaughter has returned to work at the FTC and stated her intention to serve out her term, which ends in 2029. She emphasized her focus on her duties and gratitude for being back on the job, amidst the ongoing legal uncertainties.