Trump Fires Two Democratic FTC Commissioners
President Donald Trump fired two Democratic commissioners from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday, a move critics say is illegal and threatens the agency’s independence. Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, who were ousted without cause, both vowed to fight back. “This is corruption plain and simple,” Bedoya said, while Slaughter accused Trump of being afraid of what she might reveal to the public. Their dismissals have raised concerns about the FTC’s ability to continue its work, as the commission is now left with only two Republicans.
The FTC plays a key role in enforcing antitrust and consumer protection laws, and under the Biden administration, it aggressively pursued cases against major corporations, including Meta, Amazon, and pharmaceutical giants. The firings, which follow Trump’s broader push to remove independent regulators, have sparked backlash from Democratic lawmakers. Senator Amy Klobuchar called the move an attempt to “empower fraudsters and monopolists,” while Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the courts to reinstate the commissioners.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, a Trump appointee, defended the decision, stating he had “no doubts” about the president’s authority to remove commissioners. However, legal experts point to a 1935 Supreme Court ruling that restricts a president’s ability to fire independent agency officials without cause. Both Bedoya and Slaughter plan to challenge their dismissals in court, setting up a legal battle that could have significant implications for the FTC’s future and the broader question of presidential power over independent agencies.
