The Supreme Court has handed President Donald Trump a major constitutional victory in a decision that could reshape the balance of power inside the federal government for generations.
In a landmark 6-3 ruling, the Court determined that presidents have the authority to remove officials serving in independent federal agencies, striking down a legal doctrine that had stood for more than nine decades. The decision represents one of the most significant expansions of presidential control over the Executive Branch in modern American history.
At the center of the case was Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic appointee whose challenge became the vehicle for the Court to revisit long-standing restrictions on presidential removal authority. The ruling effectively clears the way for Trump to dismiss officials who serve in agencies traditionally viewed as insulated from direct White House control.
