Former President Donald Trump removed the two remaining Democratic commissioners from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday, a decision that has sparked immediate criticism from Democratic lawmakers and the commissioners themselves.
The White House confirmed that Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya were dismissed, reinforcing Trump’s broader effort to reshape federal regulatory agencies. The FTC, responsible for consumer protection and antitrust enforcement, typically consists of five commissioners—three from the president’s party and two from the opposition.
Both Slaughter and Bedoya strongly contested their removals, arguing they were unlawful. Bedoya called the decision an abuse of power, stating, “The president just illegally fired me. This is corruption, plain and simple.” He accused Trump of attempting to weaken the FTC to benefit corporate interests, reported CNN.
Slaughter expressed similar concerns, emphasizing that her dismissal violated legal precedents and statutory protections. “Today, the president illegally fired me from my position as a federal trade commissioner,” she said, adding that Trump acted against her because he fears public accountability.
Charles Cooke at the National Review pointed out the obvious: there’s no such thing as independent agencies. To believe anything else is to argue that there are parts of our government unaccountable to democracy at all.
There is no such thing as an “independent agency.” https://t.co/4uNAOv3zkp
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) March 18, 2025
These dismissals follow Trump’s recent executive order expanding presidential authority over independent agencies, a move widely seen as an attempt to consolidate control over regulatory bodies.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, a Republican, defended the decision, asserting that the president had full legal authority to remove commissioners.
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We dont need Swamp in DC Get OUT