A US appeals court has decided in favor of Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, allowing her to continue her role at the agency. The decision was made despite Donald Trump’s efforts to remove her from office. The court ruled 2-1, denying the Trump administration’s request to delay the ruling during its appeal. The court stated that FTC commissioners cannot be fired by a president without cause, as the law has been clear for almost a century.
The majority opinion argued that the government’s chances of success on appeal are unlikely, as any ruling in their favor would go against established Supreme Court precedence. However, a third judge, Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, disagreed, claiming that federal courts do not have the authority to order the reinstatement of an officer removed by a president.
Slaughter expressed her satisfaction with the ruling, stating that no one is above the law. She emphasized her eagerness to resume her work for the American people. The White House has yet to comment on the decision. The FTC plays a crucial role in enforcing consumer protection and antitrust laws.
Trump had initially appointed Slaughter to the FTC in 2018, and Joe Biden designated her as acting chair in January 2021. Biden later appointed her to a second term in 2023, set to end in September 2029. A federal judge had previously ruled in July that Trump’s attempt to remove Slaughter violated the removal protections outlined in federal law.
Under the FTC’s bipartisan structure, no more than three of the five commissioners can be from the same political party. This measure was implemented by Congress to insulate the agency from partisan politics. In March, Trump fired the two Democratic commissioners on the FTC, which posed a significant challenge to the independence of regulatory agencies.
The dispute over Trump’s firing of Slaughter and her fellow commissioner, Alvaro Bedoya, is likely to be taken up by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had previously ruled 90 years ago that FTC commissioners may be dismissed only for justifiable reasons, such as neglecting their duties. Bedoya formally resigned in June to take another job and is not involved in the case.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/02/rebecca-slaughter-ftc-trump
