Trump Just Killed Independent Agencies
The White House now controls America’s watchdogs. Who’s left to stop him?
The End of Independent Agencies
The myth of independent federal agencies died on February 18, 2025. President Donald Trump’s latest executive order strips regulatory bodies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of their ability to interpret the laws they enforce. Instead, only the President or the Attorney General—Trump loyalist Pam Bondi—can decide what the law means for the executive branch.
And if that wasn’t enough, Trump is firing independent agency heads without cause, a blatant power grab that is now working its way through the courts.
The so-called independent agencies, which were meant to act as neutral regulators of business, communications, and financial markets, have been effectively placed under White House control.
This is more than just bureaucratic reshuffling. It’s the most aggressive expansion of executive power in modern American history.
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A Complete Takeover of "Independent" Agencies
For decades, these agencies were designed to operate outside direct presidential control to ensure fair and neutral enforcement of the law. Their leaders served fixed terms and could only be removed for cause, preventing any one president from turning them into political tools.
Now, Trump is bulldozing that norm.
Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, was fired without cause on February 7. He sued, and a judge temporarily reinstated him. His case is heading to the Supreme Court.
Cathy Harris, chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board, was fired without cause. A federal judge blocked the firing, but Trump’s DOJ is fighting it.
The new executive order, titled "One Voice for America’s Laws," states that only the President or the Attorney General may issue legally binding interpretations of federal law for executive agencies. It explicitly requires independent agencies like the FTC, SEC, and FCC to seek approval from the DOJ or the White House before making legal determinations, effectively eliminating their ability to function autonomously.
These agencies still technically exist outside the Cabinet, but in function, they now answer to Trump.
The Unitary Executive Theory: A Long Time Coming
Trump’s order is the latest escalation of a long-running Republican push to consolidate executive power under the presidency. This idea, known as the unitary executive theory, argues that all executive branch authority should flow directly from the president, with no independent agencies, commissions, or legal interpretations outside White House control.
The theory first gained traction under Ronald Reagan, whose administration centralized regulatory power within the White House through Executive Order 12291 (1981), requiring agencies to submit their regulations for White House review. George W. Bush took this further, using signing statements to reinterpret laws passed by Congress and expanding presidential power over wartime decisions.
Trump’s 2025 executive order goes beyond those moves by nullifying agency independence entirely. If the courts uphold it, this could mark the most extreme expansion of presidential power in modern history.
The Legal Battle: Can This Be Stopped?
The battle over agency independence is now moving to the courts.
The key legal argument is whether presidents can fire independent agency heads at will and whether agencies can be forced to submit legal interpretations to the White House. Supreme Court precedent suggests presidents cannot fire independent agency heads without cause, but Trump is doing it anyway.
Relevant cases:
Humphrey’s Executor v. U.S. (1935) – The Court ruled the president cannot fire leaders of independent agencies without cause.
Seila Law LLC v. CFPB (2020) – The Court weakened protections for agency leadership but still left some limits in place.
Who can challenge this?
Fired agency heads like Dellinger and Harris have already sued.
Congress could pass legislation protecting agency independence, but that’s unlikely in a GOP-controlled House.
Private businesses and advocacy groups could argue that Trump’s interference harms regulatory consistency and file lawsuits.
If the conservative Supreme Court overturns Humphrey’s Executor, the last guardrail against a fully unitary executive could collapse. This case could define executive power for decades.
What Happens Next?
If Trump wins in court, independent agencies cease to exist in any real sense. They will function as extensions of the White House, carrying out Trump’s interpretations of the law rather than acting as neutral enforcers.
If the courts push back, we’re in for a constitutional showdown over presidential authority that could reshape the balance of power in Washington.
Either way, February 18, 2025, will be remembered as the day independent regulatory agencies lost their independence.
Bibliography
White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reins in Independent Agencies to Restore a Government That Answers to the American People
Trump Executive Order: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies"
AP News: Federal Judge Reinstates Fired Independent Agency Head Hampton Dellinger
Reuters: Judge Blocks Trump’s Removal of Cathy Harris from Merit Systems Protection Board
Politico: Trump’s Executive Order Expands White House Control Over Federal Agencies
Supreme Court Case: Humphrey’s Executor v. U.S. (1935)
Supreme Court Case: Seila Law LLC v. CFPB (2020)
Reagan Executive Order 12291 (1981) and the Expansion of Presidential Power
And when tragedy falls because of this act, Trump will deny any responsibility for the events. It will be just another LIE. After all, Republicans all think that if you first don't succeed, just LIE, LIE, LIE AGAIN AND AGAIN. It will eventually become the truth in a Natzi dictatorship like they want.
He is edging ever closer to total power over everything. The man is a megalomaniac. Do our people have so little faith in themselves to stop this? We built this nation as one FOR THE PEOPLE not for some ridiculous overlord! Do we want this? Honestly, I wish I knew more about politics because you would think the framers would have made some way to uphold the constitution in a situation like this.
We do not have a Batman to take him down, but villains need to be stopped. When he takes away our rights, our jobs, our security, and our safety, he has taken away our country!