Supreme Court backs Trump’s FTC firing, keeps Fed’s Cook in office for now

The Supreme Court on June 29, 2026, split on presidential removal power: it let Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook stay in office for now while her case continues, but it also ruled for President Donald Trump in the FTC firing case.

That split matters because it draws a sharp line between the Federal Reserve and other agencies. For now, Cook remains in place while the litigation over her attempted removal continues. At the same time, the FTC ruling makes long-standing limits on firing some agency leaders much less secure.

What the Court changed

In the FTC case, the Court reversed and remanded, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the majority. Reuters reports that the Court invalidated the FTC’s tenure protection and overruled Humphrey’s Executor in that setting.

The practical effect is that presidents now have more room to remove leaders at some independent agencies, especially where the Court sees those agencies as exercising executive power. The AP said the ruling’s logic could extend to agencies such as the NLRB, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Why the Fed got different treatment

The same day, the Court denied Trump’s application in the Cook case. AP and Reuters both said the Court signaled the Federal Reserve has a unique historical status, which kept Cook in place while her case moves forward.

That does not settle the Fed fight forever. It means the Court created a carveout in this round and left the next boundary question for later.

What comes next

Watch for fast fallout in lower courts and at agencies with similar removal protections. The immediate question is how far courts apply Monday’s reasoning beyond the FTC, and whether the Fed exception stays narrow.

For readers, the takeaway is simple: the Court gave presidents more firing power at some agencies, but it did not fully resolve the Federal Reserve question. Cook stays in office for now, and the broader constitutional fight is not over.

Sources

• U.S. Supreme Court docket for Trump v. Cook (25A312)
• Associated Press same-day roundup on the Supreme Court rulings
• Reuters report on the FTC ruling and Fed exception