Court Firing Decisions
Supreme Court Upholds Most Trump-Era Firings But Allows Fed's Cook to Keep Job
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The U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on June 29, 2026, that reshapes who controls America's independent agencies. In a complex split decision, the Court let Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook keep her job for now — but simultaneously gave President Trump broad new power to fire the heads of nearly every other independent federal agency at will, according to AP News.
The ruling effectively overturns 91 years of legal precedent set by a 1935 case called *Humphrey's Executor*, which had protected agency heads from being fired without good reason. Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Fed's Board of Governors, was spared — but only on procedural grounds. The firings of other officials, including FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, were upheld, AP News reported.
Cook Survives, But the Door Stays Open
Cook was appointed to a term running until 2038, Reuters noted. Trump moved to fire her in August 2025, citing unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. A federal district judge blocked the firing, and the Supreme Court upheld that block — but only temporarily. The 5-4 majority included Chief Justice John Roberts alongside Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Kavanaugh, and Jackson.
Roberts wrote that accepting the government's full argument "would in effect transform the Federal Reserve's for-cause protection into at-will employment." The Court said Cook cannot be fired without due process — meaning the Trump administration must give her formal notice and a chance to respond to the fraud evidence. The case now returns to lower courts, according to AP News.
91-Year Precedent Falls for Almost All Other Agencies
While Cook got a temporary reprieve, the broader ruling was a sweeping win for Trump. In a 6-3 vote, the Court upheld the firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, making her the first casualty of the new legal standard. The six-justice majority — Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett — ruled that Congress cannot shield most agency heads from presidential removal, according to AP News.
This effectively ends independent status for heads of the FTC, FCC, NLRB, and Consumer Product Safety Commission. Those officials are now "at-will" employees of the president. Trump called it "one of the most important" rulings "ever given with respect to Presidential Powers," posting on Truth Social, per AP News.
The Fed Gets a Narrow Carve-Out — For Now
The Federal Reserve was given a special exception, but it is fragile. The majority was just 5-4. One justice changing sides in a future case could end what Reuters described as 112 years of central bank independence. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a key swing vote, had warned during oral arguments that Trump's position "would weaken if not shatter the independence of the Federal Reserve," the Washington Post reported.
Markets reacted with volatility. The 10-year Treasury yield swung as investors weighed the Fed's partial protection against the president's new free rein over other economic regulators, according to AP News. Analysts noted the ruling sends a mixed signal: the Fed is safe today, but the legal architecture protecting it is thinner than ever.
What Comes Next for Agencies and the Presidency
For Cook, the fight is not over. The Supreme Court did not say she cannot be fired — only that she cannot be fired without fair notice and a proper hearing. The Trump administration must now build a legal case around the mortgage fraud claims before making another move. Civil rights group Democracy Forward called the ruling a win for "procedural protections" over "autocratic overreach."
For every other independent agency, the landscape changed overnight. The Trump administration is widely expected to begin replacing Democratic appointees at the FTC, FCC, and NLRB in the coming weeks, AP News reported. The ruling marks the most significant expansion of presidential power over the executive branch in nearly a century — with consequences that will play out for years.
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