The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of President Donald Trump, allowing him to dismiss heads of independent agencies, including Gwynne Wilcox of the National Labor Relations Board and Cathy Harris of the Merit Systems Protection Board. The Court noted that preventing Trump from terminating these officials would impose greater burdens than those faced by Wilcox and Harris, who argued they could only be removed for cause under federal law. Chief Justice John Roberts affirmed that the decision balances the executive power vested in the presidency.

The majority opinion confirmed that while the ruling grants Trump significant authority, it does not apply to all federal positions. The Federal Reserve operates under different constitutional considerations.

The majority wrote, “Because the Constitution vests the executive power in the President, he may remove without cause executive officers who exercise that power on his behalf, subject to narrow exceptions recognized by our precedents.”

The majority added, “The Federal Reserve is a uniquely structured, quasi-private entity that follows in the distinct historical tradition of the First and Second Banks of the United States.”

Dissenting Justices Sonia Sotomayor (D-NY), Elena Kagan (D-MA), and Ketanji Brown Jackson (D-DC) claimed the ruling is unprecedented and weakens checks on presidential power. They warned that the decision could undermine the independence of federal adjudicatory bodies.

Kagan stated, “Because it remains good law, it also forecloses both the President’s firings of Harris and Wilcox and the majority’s decision to award emergency relief.”

Kagan added, “The order allows the President to overrule Humphrey’s by fiat, again pending our eventual review.”

Written by Ella Lee for The Kansas City Star ~ June 1, 2025