Ruling hands Trump a sweeping constitutional victory in his effort to reassert presidential control over independent agencies.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A federal appeals court on Friday ruled that President Donald Trump had the constitutional authority to remove Democratic members from two powerful federal labor boards, marking a landmark win in his broader push to restore executive control over independent agencies.
In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that statutes restricting the president’s ability to remove members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) only “for cause” were unconstitutional. The court held that such limits violated the separation of powers by constraining the president’s Article II authority to oversee the executive branch.
The decision reverses lower court rulings that had reinstated Cathy Harris to the MSPB and Gwynne Wilcox to the NLRB after their dismissals earlier this year. The Supreme Court had temporarily paused those rulings in May, pending the D.C. Circuit’s review.
Both boards play central roles in shaping federal labor and employment policy. The NLRB adjudicates disputes between private-sector unions and employers, while the MSPB handles appeals from federal workers disciplined or terminated by government agencies. The latter could prove especially significant as the Trump administration moves to reform and streamline the federal workforce.
Trump dismissed Harris and Wilcox in January without citing the statutory “for cause” reasons—inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance—that previously shielded members of the boards from political removal. The action marked the first time a president had fired members of either agency.
The administration argued that such restrictions undermined presidential accountability by creating semi-autonomous bodies within the executive branch. The court agreed, concluding that insulation from removal “unduly interferes with the President’s ability to ensure that the laws be faithfully executed.”
The ruling leaves both boards operating with too few members to issue final decisions. The NLRB now faces a backlog of hundreds of unresolved labor disputes, while the MSPB—already hobbled by vacancies—is contending with thousands of pending appeals from federal employees.
Legal analysts say the decision could have wide-ranging implications for the structure of federal governance. By striking down removal protections, the court effectively expands the president’s power to dismiss officials across a spectrum of regulatory agencies—from trade and antitrust enforcement to energy, banking, and consumer safety oversight.
Trump has already exercised that authority aggressively, ousting numerous officials from boards and inspector general posts that historically operated independently of the White House. Supporters call the move a restoration of constitutional order; critics warn it threatens the impartiality of federal oversight.
If the Supreme Court upholds the D.C. Circuit’s ruling, the decision could mark a historic realignment of executive power—cementing the president’s authority to direct, discipline, and dismiss the federal officials who implement the nation’s laws.
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