Trump Orders Removal of Privacy Watchdog Members, Halting Oversight Operations

The dismissal of three Democratic members leaves the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board unable to function, raising concerns over surveillance accountability and international data agreements.

President Trump has demanded the resignation of three Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), effectively disabling the agency's operations.
The PCLOB, established after 9/11, oversees government surveillance programs and ensures they respect privacy and civil liberties, requiring a quorum of three members to function.
The removal undermines the board's ability to certify compliance with the U.S.-EU Data Protection Framework, potentially jeopardizing transatlantic data transfers critical to U.S. tech firms.
Critics, including privacy advocates and lawmakers, warn that the move weakens independent oversight of surveillance programs and raises questions about potential abuses of power.
The White House has not clarified plans to fill the vacancies, leaving the future of the board and its role in surveillance accountability uncertain.