Supreme Court to hear case that could vastly expand presidential powers
NPR Online News22 hrs
Supreme Court Weighs Trump's Power to Fire FTC Official
Would overturning precedent create unchecked presidential power, or restore constitutional accountability over rogue agencies?
Above: The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 8, 2025. Image credit: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
For too long, independent agencies have wrongly escaped democratic accountability because of Humphrey's Executor. Agencies, including the FTC, now wield sweeping executive power, so the president must be able to remove commissioners who defy elected priorities. By ending this outdated precedent, SCOTUS would restore constitutional clarity and fix the century-long drift toward an unaccountable fourth branch of government.
Anti-Trump narrative
If SCOTUS ends 90 years of precedent to let Trump fire independent regulators at will, it will hand unchecked power to giant corporations and billionaires, gutting essential institutions that ensure fairness and competition. Independent agencies, like the FTC, have proven vital to long-term economic stability for workers, consumers and businesses alike. This march toward oligarchy threatens the legitimacy of SCOTUS.
Metaculus Prediction
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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.1
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.1