US Supreme Court limits FTC independence with commissioner firing ruling

On June 29, 2026 the United States Supreme Court overturned the nearly century‑old Humphrey's Executor precedent, holding that the president may fire officers of independent agencies at will. The majority opinion in Trump v. Slaughter, brought by a former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioner, rejected the statutory protections that had insulated the FTC and similar bodies from political removal. A dissent warned that Congress traditionally could restrict such firings.

The Court issued a parallel decision in Trump v. Cook, rejecting a challenge to the Federal Reserve Board's for‑cause removal protections. Legal analysts say the rulings usher in a broader judicial move to apply the “major questions doctrine,” demanding clear congressional authority for agency actions of significant economic impact. The decisions are expected to curtail the FTC’s enforcement abilities, reshape the regulatory landscape for mergers and consumer protection, and set a precedent that could affect other independent agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission.