In a provisional ruling that sets to stage to impact independent federal agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court has granted President Donald Trump’s request to halt the reinstatement of Democratic Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. Slaughter had been fired by Trump without cause in March 2025. In granting the request, the Supreme Court also agreed to reconsider the limits on the president’s authority to remove members of the FTC without cause. Oral arguments in that case are scheduled for December 2025. The justices will consider whether the FTC’s removal protections violate the separation of powers and whether federal courts can prevent an independent agency officer’s removal from public office by the president.
