Trump fires FTC commissioners, setting up a legal battle

President Trump has removed the two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday, sparking a legal challenge to a long-standing Supreme Court ruling that prohibits the dismissal of FTC commissioners without “good cause.”

According to The New York Times, commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya were fired by the White House earlier on Tuesday. In response, Slaughter denounced the firings as “illegal.”

Slaughter stated, “Today the president unlawfully dismissed me from my role as a federal trade commissioner, disregarding the explicit language of a statute and established Supreme Court precedent. Why? Because I have a voice. And he fears what I may reveal to the American people.”

The FTC, typically consisting of five members, was established in 1914 to enforce consumer protection and antitrust laws. The Trump administration has been known for challenging the authority of independent regulatory agencies like the FTC.