President Trump’s controversial firing of two Democratic FTC commissioners raises legal questions and sparks concerns about the agency’s future independence.
Key Insights
- President Trump removed FTC Commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, both Democrats, altering the traditional bipartisan balance of the agency.
- The fired commissioners plan legal challenges, claiming their removal violates statutory protections and Supreme Court precedent.
- Republican FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson defends the action as within presidential constitutional authority.
- The new Republican majority at the FTC could potentially ease approval of major corporate mergers like Google’s $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Wiz.
Presidential Authority vs. Agency Independence
In a move that has sparked significant legal debate, President Donald Trump fired two Democratic commissioners from the Federal Trade Commission, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter. The dismissals represent an unprecedented challenge to the traditionally bipartisan structure of the agency, which by law is designed to have no more than three commissioners from the same political party. Both commissioners have announced intentions to file lawsuits to reclaim their positions, asserting that their removals were illegal and violated established protections for independent agencies.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, a Republican appointed by Trump, has publicly supported the president’s authority to make these changes. “President Donald J. Trump is the head of the executive branch and is vested with all of the executive power in our government,” Ferguson stated, framing the issue as a straightforward exercise of constitutional authority. The dismissals align with broader efforts by the Trump administration to assert greater control over federal agencies traditionally considered independent from direct White House intervention.
Legal Challenges and Constitutional Questions
The dismissed commissioners have forcefully challenged the legality of their removals. “I’m a commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission. The president just illegally fired me,” Bedoya stated, suggesting that Trump wants the FTC to serve his personal interests rather than its statutory mission. Similarly, Slaughter described herself as “illegally fired” and argued that the dismissals contradict both statutory language and Supreme Court precedent regarding the independence of FTC commissioners.
I am a commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission. The president just illegally fired me. This is corruption plain and simple. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/12HPZsbLTP
— Alvaro Bedoya (@BedoyaFTC) March 18, 2025
These firings are expected to join a growing list of legal challenges against Trump’s executive actions, with multiple lawsuits already filed by former federal employees who contend they were improperly dismissed. The legal battles will likely center on whether FTC commissioners serve at the pleasure of the president or are protected from removal except for specific causes, as has been traditionally understood. Constitutional scholars are closely watching these cases for their potential to reshape the relationship between the presidency and independent agencies.
Implications for Corporate Regulation
The removal of Democratic commissioners leaves the FTC with a Republican majority, potentially easing the path for approval of major corporate mergers. Under the Biden administration, the FTC had taken a more aggressive stance toward large technology companies and corporate consolidation. Though Trump replaced former FTC Chair Lina Khan with Andrew Ferguson, the administration has so far retained Biden-era merger guidelines, leaving uncertainty about how dramatically enforcement policies might change.
The timing of these changes is particularly notable as Google recently announced a $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Wiz, which requires approval from either the FTC or the Justice Department. Critics, including former Obama administration economist Jason Furman and Senator Amy Klobuchar, have expressed concern that the firings politicize the FTC and potentially undermine its consumer protection mission. The agency has already removed some critical content about major tech companies from its website, potentially signaling a shift in its regulatory approach.
Sources:
- Trump fires Democratic FTC commissioners
- Trump fires both Democratic commissioners at FTC
- Donald Trump Fires FTC’s Two Democratic Commissioners: “A Really Devastating Sign Of What Could Be To Come” — Update
