President Donald Trump’s move drew blowback from Democrats as it diminished the Federal Trade Commission’s bipartisan structure|Ajay_Suresh|CC BY 2.0
President Donald Trump recently fired Democratic commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), continuing his layoffs at independent agencies.
His move drew blowback from Democrats as it diminished the FTC’s bipartisan structure. Bedoya and Slaughter have called Trump’s action illegal and plan to sue.
The FTC enforces consumer protection laws and antitrust regulations, a key part of former President Joe Biden’s economic policies. The removals leave only two Republican commissioners, Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak.
Trump nominated antitrust attorney Mark Meador for the vacant seat, but he awaits Senate confirmation.
He also expelled members from the National Labor Relations Board and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, weakening workplace protections.
A court ruled one firing illegal, reinstating NLRB’s Gwynne Wilcox. Legal experts say Trump’s actions challenge Supreme Court precedent, testing presidential power over independent agencies. According to a 1935 Supreme Court decision, a president cannot remove a commissioner without cause.