Supreme Court's Ruling Expands Presidential Firing Powers

WHO:

CNN - Chief Justice John Roberts has been advocating for expanded presidential powers since his time as a young lawyer in the Reagan administration.

CNN - Justice Sonia Sotomayor is one of the three liberal justices who dissented in the ruling.

Alternet - Lisa Cook is a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve who was terminated by Trump.

Alternet - Rebecca Slaughter was the Democratic-appointed commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) involved in the case against Trump.

WHAT:

CNN - The Supreme Court reversed the 1935 precedent in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, which had limited the president's authority to fire agency heads.

CNN - The court ruled that the president has the authority to fire heads of independent agencies, except for the Federal Reserve.

Alternet - The Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision to keep Cook in her role while her case proceeds regarding her termination.

Alternet - The court ruled in a 5-4 opinion that Trump did not meet due process requirements when he terminated Cook via a social media post.

WHERE:

CNN - The ruling affects independent agencies in the United States, including the FTC and the Federal Reserve.

WHEN:

Alternet - The Supreme Court ruled on the case involving Lisa Cook on June 29, 2026.

CNN - The Supreme Court's decision to reverse the precedent occurred on a Monday, with no specific date provided.

WHY:

CNN - Roberts argued that without the power to fire agency heads, the president could not be held fully accountable for discharging his responsibilities.

Alternet - Trump claimed Cook had committed mortgage fraud, which was a reason given for her termination.

HOW:

CNN - The Supreme Court's decision was led by Chief Justice Roberts, who wrote a 36-page opinion outlining the court's reasoning.

Alternet - The court's ruling in Cook was based on the Federal Reserve Act, which allows board members to be terminated only for cause.

(UPDATED June 30, 2026 01:42 UTC)

The Supreme Court has reversed a 1935 precedent, allowing the president to fire heads of independent agencies, with the exception of the Federal Reserve. In a closely contested 5-4 opinion, the court upheld a lower court's decision to keep Lisa Cook in her role while her termination case proceeds, ruling that Trump did not meet due process requirements when he dismissed her via social media. Chief Justice Roberts, who has long advocated for expanded presidential powers, led the decision and emphasized the importance of accountability in presidential responsibilities.