Supreme Court Hears Trump v. Slaughter, Weighing Whether President Can Fire FTC Commissioners at Will

On December 8, 2025, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Slaughter, a case arising from Trump's March 2025 removal of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter. The case asked whether for-cause removal protections for FTC members violate separation of powers, and whether Humphrey's Executor v. United States (1935) should be overruled. Oral argument signaled the conservative justices were open to expanding presidential removal power, potentially allowing the president to fire officials at independent agencies without any stated cause.