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In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump has dismissed the two remaining Democratic commissioners on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a regulatory body responsible for enforcing antitrust laws and protecting consumer rights.
The FTC, historically known for its bipartisan composition, has traditionally included commissioners from both major political parties.
The two Democratic commissioners, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, were the only members of their party still serving at the agency following the resignation of former Chairwoman Lina Khan. Khan, who had been appointed by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2021, stepped down from her role on January 21 after Trump appointed Andrew Ferguson as the new FTC chair.
Following his dismissal, Bedoya took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his reaction, writing, “The president just illegally fired me.”
Slaughter, originally appointed to the FTC by Trump in 2018 and later reappointed by Biden, also spoke out against her firing. In a statement to The New York Times, she said, “The president illegally fired me from my position as a federal trade commissioner, violating the plain language of a statute and clear Supreme Court precedent. Why? Because I have a voice. And he is afraid of what I’ll tell the American people.”
Biden had appointed Bedoya to the commission in 2022. According to the FTC’s website, Bedoya’s term was set to last until September 25, 2026, while Slaughter’s tenure was scheduled to run until September 25, 2029. FTC commissioners typically serve staggered seven-year terms, with the commission designed to maintain a balance of power, ensuring that no more than three members belong to the same political party. Removing the two Democrats from the panel raises questions about whether the administration intends to replace them with additional Republican commissioners, which would contradict the agency’s established rules.
Ferguson, the newly appointed FTC chair, defended the decision to remove Bedoya and Slaughter in a statement posted to X on Tuesday. “President Donald J. Trump is the head of the executive branch and is vested with all of the executive power in our government,” Ferguson wrote. “I have no doubts about his constitutional authority to remove Commissioners, which is necessary to ensure democratic accountability for our government.”
The dismissals represent the latest example of Trump’s administration breaking with long-standing political norms and challenging the independence of federal agencies since he assumed office on January 20. His administration has already dismissed numerous officials across federal agencies who were appointed by Biden, in addition to tens of thousands of career federal employees.
These actions have been carried out under the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity established by Trump to evaluate federal spending. Billionaire businessman and major Trump campaign donor Elon Musk has been tapped to lead the department.
Legal challenges have already begun against Trump’s sweeping personnel changes. Last week, two federal judges ruled that federal employees dismissed by the administration should be reinstated. However, it remains uncertain whether these rulings will extend to Slaughter and Bedoya or if new legal action will be necessary to contest their removals.
By fLEXI tEAM