Roberts’ order signals the court may roll back a 90-year precedent limiting presidential power over independent agencies.
Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to remove Federal Trade Commission commissioner Rebecca Slaughter while her lawsuit continues.
Roberts’ brief order paused lower-court rulings that reinstated Slaughter, who argued Trump could only remove her for misconduct or neglect of duty under existing law.
The Justice Department countered that Trump has broad authority to dismiss executive branch officials without cause, including those on independent boards.
Slaughter’s lawyers must respond to the administration’s arguments by next week.
The move follows similar rulings permitting Trump to remove members of other independent agencies, a trend suggesting the court’s conservative majority may overturn the 1935 Humphrey’s Executor decision. That ruling restricted presidents from firing such officials without cause, creating powerful regulatory agencies like the FTC.
The outcome could significantly reshape presidential control over independent regulators and test limits on Trump’s authority in upcoming cases involving the Federal Reserve.