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US Supreme Court boosts Trump’s power to fire officials, but Fed’s Cook keeps job
Justices let Trump fire agency heads, a dramatic expansion of his presidential power
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Agence France-PressePublished: 12:53am, 30 Jun 2026Updated: 9:56am, 30 Jun 2026
The US Supreme Court on Monday fortified President Donald Trump’s powers to fire members of independent government agencies, but carved out protections for the Federal Reserve by blocking the firing of Governor Lisa Cook.
In a 6-3 ruling, the court’s conservative majority rejected a challenge by Democratic Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, ruling that Trump had the power to fire “subordinates who exercise the President’s power”.
The decision is expected to have wide-ranging implications, with Trump having aggressively sought to expand executive powers as he works to transform the US government and put political allies in key positions.
Trump hailed the verdict in a social media post, saying it expanded presidential power “at a time when it is most needed”.
“It is such an Honor to be the sitting President who won this Historic and Unprecedented Ruling, one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers,” he said.
Slaughter was dismissed without cause, and lower courts upheld her claim that the move violated rules Congress put in place to protect the members of dozens of independent government agencies.
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