First Thing: Supreme court hands Trump power to fire agency chiefs but rules against him on mail-in ballots

Supreme Court Affirms Presidential Authority to Remove Independent Agency Leaders, Upholds State Mail-In Ballot Counting Rules

The US Supreme Court ruled that presidents hold the authority to remove leaders of independent agencies and commissions, overturning the 1935 precedent in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States that had limited such removals. The decision in Trump v. Slaughter restores removal power consistent with the unitary executive theory under Article II of the Constitution. President Donald Trump described the outcome on Truth Social as a significant development for executive authority. Rebecca Slaughter, the Federal Trade Commission member whose removal in March prompted the case, stated she was disappointed by the result. Columnist Moira Donegan noted that the ruling affects congressional design of agency independence.

Georgetown law professor Stephen Vladeck characterized the decision as carrying substantial consequences for government operations beyond the current administration. Legal analysts supporting the ruling have pointed out that it returns accountability for executive functions to elected presidents rather than insulating officials from oversight, consistent with separation of powers principles that assign all executive power to the president.

In a separate case, the Supreme Court upheld provisions in more than a dozen states permitting mail-in ballots received after election day to be counted, rejecting arguments from national Republican groups and the Trump administration. The court also held that law enforcement use of broad warrants for smartphone location data must incorporate Fourth Amendment privacy safeguards, addressing concerns over expansive data collection practices.

The Supreme Court declined to review a New York jury verdict from 2023 that found Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll. The justices issued no explanation and recorded no public dissents. The ruling leaves in place the $5 million civil judgment. Trump stated on Truth Social that the court had declined to examine what he called a fabricated case. Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan said the decision confirms the jury’s unanimous findings on the claims of sexual assault and defamation.

A parcel bomb explosion in Monaco wounded Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Iermolaiev and two other people. Prince Albert II called the incident a serious crime that shocked the community. Investigators reported that a suspect left a package containing bolts and buckshot in a building lobby before fleeing toward Beausoleil, France. Iermolaiev, a Monaco resident sanctioned by Ukraine since December 2023 over business activities in Russian-occupied Crimea, was among those injured.

President Trump announced the nomination of Keith Sonderling to serve as secretary of labor, where Sonderling has been acting in the role. A woman identified as Jane Doe 4 in Jeffrey Epstein court files has avoided public attention amid concerns over potential actions by the current administration. Peru’s president-elect Keiko Fujimori stated her intention to restore order following her victory over candidate Roberto Sanchez. Hollywood director Carl Rinsch received a sentence of two and a half years in prison after conviction for defrauding Netflix of $11 million on an unfinished project. A tenured professor dismissed last year for pro-Palestinian statements regained her position and filed suit against the university. A federal court sentenced exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui to 30 years in prison after his conviction for defrauding investors of more than $1 billion.

The San Francisco Catholic archdiocese reached a $395 million settlement covering more than 500 claims of child sexual abuse by clergy. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone will issue individual apology letters to survivors and the archdiocese will adopt additional child protection measures, including publication of a list of accused clergy.

A documentary titled Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story examines the career of the former adult film performer who promoted condom and dental dam use during the early AIDS epidemic. Directors describe Byrd as an accidental public health advocate.

An Australian wellness influencer associated with freebirthing practices has drawn scrutiny after claims of zero maternal deaths linked to the approach, with investigators examining connections to a US business tied to infant deaths in multiple countries. A Cook Islands fisherman described surviving eight days adrift in the Pacific after being repeatedly thrown overboard by large waves.

A Paris-based reporter seven months pregnant recounted managing daily activities during a record heatwave, noting that some scheduled public information sessions on heat response plans were canceled due to the temperatures themselves.

Tennis player Naomi Osaka appeared at Wimbledon in a floor-length white ruffled garment modeled on Japanese ceremonial attire, complying with the tournament’s all-white dress code for women’s competition.