March 19, 2025
Trump’s Firing of FTC Democratic Commissioners is a Clear Sign The Worst Is Yet to Come
In an email from the White House, two Democratic Commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter, were illegally fired from their Congressionally confirmed seats. Not only is this move by President Trump a blatant disregard for over ninety years of law and order in the Executive Branch, its a clear sign that he will continue to violate the checks and balances of our democracy until the government is a shell company led by his closest accomplices with the sole mission pouring money into the pockets of billionaires.
The Federal Trade Commission, created in 1914, is directed by Congress to protect consumers and promote competition across all industries. The Commission typically has five Commissioners who, along with the hundreds of the agency’s employees, work to protect everyday Americans from deceptive or harmful business practices and unfair methods of competition by large corporations. The FTC works on behalf of consumers on things, like lowering and eliminating junk fees, making it easier to cancel subscriptions, high costs of living, and lowering drug prices.
The FTC was created by Congress over a hundred years ago as an independent agency, meaning it operates independent of the White House. As an independent agency, Commissioners are expected to act without political influence to work on behalf of the American people. The agency takes directives from Congress, and consults with the American public to interpret laws and create regulations that benefit us all.
One thing the FTC doesn’t do? Answer to the President. Under a Supreme Court decision from the 1930s, Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, the President cannot fire the head of an independent agency without cause. In other words, no president has the power to fire heads of independent agencies unless there’s a serious reason, like negligence or fraud. Humphrey’s Executor is an old case, but it’s been upheld and fortified time and time again because at its core, it protects the integrity of our democracy by not allowing petty political disputes to upend government functionality.
We must speak truth into this situation; two well-qualified and esteemed Commissioners were illegally fired suddenly yesterday, because of their vocal critique of the Trump Administration and their Republican Chairman colleague. This is simply not how the federal government is meant to function, and is not how our trusted courts have safeguarded our democracy until now. One person, one President, simply should not have the power to terminate anyone who dares to not sing his praises.
Our democracy is built on centuries of tradition, honor, and justice. The time to be alarmed is now; our infrastructure is being dismantled brick by brick before our eyes. The time to take action and save our democracy is here.
Yours in the Movement,
Brenda Victoria Castillo
President & CEO
National Hispanic Media Coalition
