Harvard Business Review LogoJune 30, 2026Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesFor executives, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Slaughter v. Trump will likely lead to less certainty and consistency for the regulated aspects of their businesses, withIn a blockbuster case, Trump v. Slaughter, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the president could, at will, dismiss appointees to independent regulatory agencies who had already been confirmed by Congress, overturning a nearly 100-year-old precedent that held the opposite. For business leaders, this watershed decision will likely lead to less certainty and consistency for the regulated aspects of their business, with federal rules and their enforcement increasingly determined by political expediency rather than expert analysis.
The End of Independent Federal Agencies Will Change Your Business
For executives, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Slaughter v. Trump will likely lead to less certainty and consistency for the regulated aspects of their businesses, with federal rules and their enforcement increasingly determined by political expediency rather than expert analysis. Specifically, there are five ways in which all U.S. businesses will be affected: regulation will become more informal and less transparent; consistency across administrations will disappear; oversight by Congress and the federal courts will be diminished; expert advice will be devalued; and politically-connected lobbyists will drive decision-making. In this environment, business leaders will need to plan accordingly, honing their ability to shift strategy, perhaps dramatically, after every election—and perhaps even during administrations.
