Appeals court rejects Trump's bid to fire Biden-appointed FTC member

Source: Politico

Appeals court rejects Trump’s bid to fire Biden-appointed FTC member

In a 2-1 ruling, a D.C. Circuit panel ordered Rebecca Kelly Slaughter reinstated to her job.


Rebecca Slaughter of the FTC testifies during a 2020 Senate committee hearing while holding her newborn. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP

By JOSH GERSTEIN and KYLE CHENEY
09/02/2025 06:31 PM EDT
Updated: 09/02/2025 07:42 PM EDT

A federal appeals court has reinstated a Biden appointee to the Federal Trade Commission despite President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire her.

A D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals panel split, 2-1, Tuesday as it restored a lower-court order that found FTC member Rebecca Kelly Slaughter was entitled to continue to serve on the board because federal law says commissioners can only be removed for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.”

Trump moved to fire Slaughter in March without citing any reason. … Judges Patricia Millett and Cornelia Pillard, both Obama appointees, joined in the ruling reinstating Slaughter. Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, dissented.

The battle over Slaughter’s seat is one of many lawsuits challenging Trump’s efforts to fire Democrat-appointed leaders of federal agencies that Congress historically has tried to insulate from political pressure. Most recently, Trump’s firing spree extended to a board member of the Federal Reserve.

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Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/02/trump-firing-ftc-member-dc-circuit-ruling-00540637