Supreme Court Lets Trump Remove CPSC Members

The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 emergency order, allowed President Trump to remove three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, temporarily overriding a lower court's reinstatement order. The majority argued that the president would be more harmed by having to retain officials he wishes to dismiss than the officials would be by removal. This action follows a similar decision in May on independent agencies and signals the conservative majority's willingness to limit legal protections for agency officials established in the 1935 Humphrey's Executor precedent. Liberal justices dissented, warning the ruling undermines Congress's intent for agency independence and bipartisanship. The order permits the removals to proceed while legal challenges continue. The decision has major implications for the balance of power between the executive and Congress over federal agencies.