Court allows Trump to fire FTC commissioner and overturns major restraint on presidential power

Theory Briefing

• The ruling overturns a major restraint on presidential power, allowing Trump to remove an FTC commissioner who had job protections under existing law.
• The decision advances the unitary executive theory — the idea that the president must have complete control over all executive branch officials.
• Independent agencies like the FTC were designed to operate free from direct presidential removal, a structure now placed in serious legal jeopardy.
• The ruling could reshape how dozens of federal agencies operate, since many rely on similar protections for their commissioners and board members.