Story perspectives

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Fire Independent Agency Heads

7/3/2026

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Donald Trump may fire heads of independent federal agencies, overturning a 90-year precedent.
Legal scholars said the decision clears a path for an “imperial presidency” by allowing dismissals without cause.
Scholars also warned that the ruling, combined with the Court’s increased use of the shadow docket, expands presidential power and weakens institutional checks.

History

Historical Context

Humphrey’s Executor v. United States (1935) unanimously upheld for-cause removal limits on FTC commissioners, shaping New Deal-era agency independence. Decades of Roberts Court cases narrowed that protection, and on June 29 2026 the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito in Trump v. Slaughter, allowing President Donald Trump to fire FTC members at will. The ruling revives longstanding debates over presidential removal power.

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Story summary

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Donald Trump may fire heads of independent federal agencies, overturning a 90-year precedent.
Legal scholars said the decision clears a path for an “imperial presidency” by allowing dismissals without cause.
Scholars also warned that the ruling, combined with the Court’s increased use of the shadow docket, expands presidential power and weakens institutional checks.

1 / 2