Supreme Court Hears 2 Trump Removal Cases as Fed and FTC Protections Face Diverging Tests
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 18
Supreme Court Hears 2 Trump Removal Cases as Fed and FTC Protections Face Diverging Tests
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 18
Summary
Two Supreme Court cases heard Thursday could redefine presidential firing power, but the justices are weighing sharply different questions for the FTC and the Federal Reserve.
In Slaughter v. Trump, the administration directly attacked the FTC's for-cause removal limits as unconstitutional under Article II, putting the 1935 Humphrey's Executor precedent at risk.
In Trump v. Cook, Trump's lawyers avoided that broader constitutional fight and instead argued Lisa Cook could be removed for cause over alleged misconduct, reflecting the Fed's stronger historical claim to independence.
The Court's recent Wilcox ruling already let Trump remove NLRB and MSPB officials while litigation proceeds, yet it stressed the Federal Reserve is a uniquely structured entity with distinct historical roots.
A ruling for Trump in Slaughter could expand presidential control over independent agencies and raise a separate novel question: whether courts can order a fired agency head reinstated.
Could a new Supreme Court precedent effectively dismantle the independence of agencies like the Federal Reserve?
If courts cannot reinstate fired officials, what power remains to check executive authority?
Presidential Power on the Line: Supreme Court’s June 2026 Rulings to Redefine Agency Independence
Overview
The Supreme Court is set to issue major decisions by early July 2026, following recent oral arguments. The most anticipated cases, Trump v. Cook and Trump v. Slaughter, focus on presidential power over independent agencies and will clarify how much authority a president has to remove agency heads. These rulings are expected to have a profound impact on the balance of power within the federal government, as they address whether and how presidents can control key regulatory bodies. The outcomes will shape the future relationship between the executive branch and independent agencies across the nation.