Trump v. Slaughter · ¶155

Six years ago, this Court announced that the President generally must be able to fire executive officials “at will” (that is, for any reason or even no reason at all). Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 591 U. S. 197, 204–205 (2020). In so holding, the Court recognized “two exceptions” to that “general rule” of “unrestricted removal power,” id., at 215: one for inferior officers and one that allowed Congress to “create expert agencies led by a group of principal officers removable by the President only for good cause,” id., at 204 (emphasis deleted). Today, the Court doubles back on the second exception for agencies like the FTC, and doubles down on its “general rule” that the President’s removal power cannot be cabined in any way. Its decision is grievously wrong.

slip opinion, revised 7/07/26
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