Supreme Court Justices Express Concerns Over Presidential Power in Agency Firing Case
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently deliberating a case that could redefine the extent of presidential power over federal agencies. The case, Trump v. Slaughter, involves President Trump's decision to fire Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has sparked a legal battle over the independence of federal agencies. Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson have voiced concerns that ruling in favor of the Trump administration could grant the president 'massive, unchecked, uncontrolled power.' The case challenges a 1935 precedent set by Humphrey's Executor v. United States, which limits the president's ability to remove federal agency leaders without cause. The Trump administration argues that this precedent is outdated and restricts presidential authority.