The Supreme Court is quietly dismantling the firewall between the White House and the federal agencies that regulate everything from labor disputes to financial markets. Through a series of emergency orders and pending cases, the court has signaled it may hand presidents, starting with Trump, the power to remove officials from independent agencies without cause.
What’s actually happening
Since early 2025, the Supreme Court has issued emergency docket orders allowing Trump to remove members of independent federal agencies. In May 2025, the court greenlit the removal of officials from the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board.
These agencies were designed to operate at arm’s length from the president. The legal foundation for that independence dates back to 1935, when the Supreme Court decided Humphrey’s Executor v. United States. That ruling said Congress could create agencies whose leaders serve fixed terms and can’t be fired just because a president disagrees with them.
The case of Trump v. Slaughter is the main event. Oral arguments were heard on December 8, 2025, and conservative justices reportedly signaled support for expanded presidential authority over these agencies. A full ruling is expected by mid-2026.
