Supreme Court Backs Trump in Consumer Safety Commission Dismissals

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed President Donald Trump to remove three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), strengthening presidential authority over agencies traditionally insulated from White House control.

The ruling overturns a lower court order by Judge Matthew Maddox that had blocked Trump’s dismissal of Commissioners Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, and Richard Trumka Jr., all appointed by former President Joe Biden. Their terms were set to expire between 2025 and 2028.

In a brief unsigned order, the Court signaled support for the administration’s argument that the Constitution grants presidents broad removal powers over executive branch officials, even those leading independent agencies like the CPSC. The decision follows a similar Supreme Court move in May allowing Trump to remove members of the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board.

The 6-3 ruling, opposed by liberal Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, drew sharp criticism. Kagan warned that the decision “destroys the independence of an independent agency” and undermines Congress’s intent to shield the CPSC from political interference.

Created in 1972, the CPSC sets safety standards, investigates hazardous products, and issues recalls. Congress designed it as a bipartisan commission, allowing removal only for neglect of duty or malfeasance. The fired commissioners’ attorney, Nicolas Sansone, vowed to continue legal challenges, citing public harm from losing consumer safety oversight.

The decision marks another emergency-docket victory for Trump since returning to office in January, bolstering efforts to consolidate executive control across multiple federal agencies, including education and labor.