The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that President Donald Trump has the power to terminate the authority of office holders heading independent agencies at the president’s discretion.

The ruling, in which six of nine justices voted for the president, followed a lawsuit between Mr Trump and Rebecca Slaughter, a former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioner.

The case resulted from Mr Trump’s termination of Ms Slaughter’s role as a commissioner in March 2025 and a year-long legal action that began the same month.

The plaintiff, Ms Slaughter, argued that the FTC Act only allowed commissioners to be removed on the ground of “inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance.”

The legal contention reached the Supreme Court in September 2025 after a federal district judge had previously ruled that Ms Slaughter’s termination was unlawful and ordered her reinstatement.

Overruling the U.S. lower courts’ decision on Monday, the Supreme Court backed Mr Trump’s firing of Ms Slaughter, stating that the president has the constitutional authority to remove leaders of independent federal agencies, including commissioners.

The apex court decision is considered an expansion of Mr Trump’s power over independent agencies, such as the FTC, and an overturning of a 1935 precedent that prevented the presidential removal of officials heading independent commissions.