A federal judge has ruled against former President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, declaring the removal illegal and ordering her reinstatement to the position.
According to Politico, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan delivered the ruling on Thursday, citing that Trump’s administration violated both the FTC Act and protections established by a 1935 Supreme Court precedent, which prevents presidents from firing officials at independent agencies without proper cause.
The White House quickly responded to the decision, with spokesperson Kush Desai stating that the Trump administration will appeal this “unlawful decision” and expressed confidence in achieving victory on the matter. The administration maintains that presidents have the constitutional right to remove executive officers who exercise presidential authority, building on Trump’s sweeping executive orders that have already targeted federal agencies and their independence.
The recent pattern shows multiple reversals of Trump’s firing decisions
This ruling adds to a growing list of Trump-era firing decisions that courts have overturned in recent months. Similar attempts to remove Democratic officials from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have also been blocked by judges, as part of Trump’s broader Project 2025-inspired plan to strip federal workers of their protections.
Another Biden appointee Judge Loren Alikhan blocks the Trump Administration's firing of FTC Commissioners. pic.twitter.com/OZrf2ylE1b
— ABZ (@ABZDAB) July 18, 2025
Slaughter welcomed the decision, highlighting its importance for other independent economic regulators such as the SEC, FDIC, and Federal Reserve. She emphasized that Congress designed these agencies to maintain economic stability regardless of political changes.
The case initially included another Democratic FTC commissioner, Alvaro Bedoya, who was also fired by Trump. However, Bedoya resigned in June to pursue private sector opportunities, and his claims were dismissed in Thursday’s ruling.
Judge AliKhan acknowledged in her opinion that this case will likely reach the Supreme Court. The high court has previously ruled on similar cases involving Biden appointees at the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board, where it allowed the firings to proceed. The FTC has not yet commented on the ruling.
