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Trump Administration Challenges Precedent Protecting Independent Federal Agencies

The DOJ plans to ask the Supreme Court to overturn a 1935 ruling that limits the president's power to remove members of independent regulatory commissions.

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington.

Overview

  • The Department of Justice, under Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris, has declared certain tenure protections for members of the FTC, NLRB, and CPSC unconstitutional.
  • The DOJ argues that the 1935 Supreme Court ruling in Humphrey's Executor improperly restricts the president's authority to remove principal officers in independent agencies.
  • The Trump administration intends to urge the Supreme Court to overturn Humphrey's Executor, citing recent decisions that have eroded its legal foundation.
  • This challenge comes as lawsuits, including one by former NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox, contest firings conducted by the Trump administration under the protections of the Humphrey's Executor precedent.
  • If overturned, the ruling could significantly expand presidential power over independent federal agencies, altering the balance of agency independence established over the past 90 years.