The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Trump Firing Lawsuit has ignited a constitutional clash over presidential power, as recently ousted FTC commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro M. Bedoya filed suit Thursday in D.C. federal court. The two argue that former President Donald Trump violated long-standing legal precedent by removing them without cause, in what could become a defining legal battle over the future of independent federal agencies.
A Fight for FTC Independence
Slaughter and Bedoya wasted no time challenging their dismissals, pointing to the Federal Trade Commission Act, which only allows commissioners to be removed for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” Their lawsuit argues that Trump’s move tramples on decades of precedent, particularly the 1935 Supreme Court ruling Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, which established that FTC commissioners cannot be fired at will.
“Plaintiffs will not and do not accept this unlawful action,” the complaint states. “This lawsuit is about preserving the integrity of the FTC and defending the rights of the American people.”
