Overview
- The Supreme Court on Monday, June 29, 2026, in Trump v. Slaughter overturned Humphrey’s Executor and in a 6-3 ruling said the President may remove members of independent, multimember agencies like the FTC at will.
- In a separate 5-4 decision in Trump v. Cook the Court blocked the immediate ouster of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook because the White House failed to give proper notice and a forum to contest the charges, allowing her to remain on the Fed board while litigation continues.
- The split rulings signal the Court’s embrace of broader presidential control over most regulatory agencies while suggesting the Fed may have a distinct historical status, but the majority declined to define which Fed functions, if any, are protected.
- Key legal questions remain unresolved, including what counts as cause for removal, which agencies or functions are exempt, and what procedures a President must follow, all of which are likely to spawn prolonged lower-court battles and possible congressional action.
- Practically, the decisions could accelerate political turnover in agencies that regulate finance, markets, labor and consumer safety, create pressure on agency staff and nominees, and reshape how government experts make long-term policy choices.