Supreme Court Lets Presidents Fire Agency Heads, Upholds Late Mail Ballots

The Supreme Court on Monday gave presidents new authority to remove leaders of independent agencies, ending a 90-year limit on executive control. The 6-3 decision in Trump v. Slaughter overturned Humphrey's Executor v. United States and allowed the removal of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the FTC exercises executive power and therefore falls under presidential direction.

The same day the Court preserved a narrower limit in Trump v. Cook. It blocked the immediate removal of Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook because the statute requires notice and an opportunity to respond. The majority distinguished the central bank on grounds tied to its role in monetary policy.

In Watson v. Republican National Committee the justices upheld Mississippi's rule counting mail ballots postmarked by Election Day but received up to five days later. The ruling rejected arguments that federal election-day statutes set a stricter receipt deadline. Trump responded on Truth Social by calling for passage of the SAVE America Act.

The Court also declined without comment to review the $5 million civil judgment against Trump in the E. Jean Carroll defamation and sexual-abuse case. No dissents were noted. These outcomes leave in place the jury verdict from 2023.

The rulings shift power between Congress and the executive while leaving specific protections for the Federal Reserve and existing state mail-ballot practices intact. Lower courts and future Congresses now face questions about how broadly the new removal authority will apply to other agencies.