Trump Fires Two Democratic FTC Members, Raising Questions Over Regulatory Independence

President Donald Trump dismissed the two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday, marking a rare and controversial move that could impact the agency’s role in regulating corporate conduct. The decision, which affects Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, challenges the long-standing independence of the regulatory body and has sparked legal pushback from the ousted commissioners.

According to the New York Times, the White House informed Slaughter and Bedoya that their tenure at the FTC had been terminated. The agency, responsible for enforcing antitrust and consumer protection laws, is traditionally structured with five members — three from the president’s party and two from the opposition. The move by Trump appears to depart from precedent, as FTC commissioners are typically insulated from removal based on policy disagreements, following a 1935 Supreme Court ruling.

Slaughter and Bedoya quickly signaled their intent to challenge the decision in court. “Today the president illegally fired me from my position as a federal trade commissioner, violating the plain language of a statute and clear Supreme Court precedent,” Slaughter said in a statement, per the New York Times. She further alleged that the decision was politically motivated, saying, “Why? Because I have a voice. And he is afraid of what I’ll tell the American people.”

Read more: Trump-Appointed FTC Chair Launches Task Force on Labor Market Competition

Bedoya, who joined the FTC three years ago, echoed concerns about the implications of the firings. In an interview cited by the New York Times, he warned that diminishing the FTC’s independence could leave it vulnerable to political and corporate influence. “When people hear this news, they need to not think about me,” he said. “They need to think about the billionaires behind the president at his inauguration.”

The dismissals are part of a broader effort by Trump to exert greater control over independent regulatory agencies, a pattern that has drawn scrutiny from legal experts and lawmakers. While presidents have the authority to appoint regulators, agencies like the FTC have historically operated with a degree of autonomy to prevent undue political interference.

The legal battle over the firings is expected to test the limits of executive power in reshaping independent agencies.

Source: The New York Times