President Donald Trump’s administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the removal of three Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) members appointed by Joe Biden, after a lower court ordered their reinstatement in May. The administration seeks an emergency stay of that decision, citing chaos within the agency and confusion among staff.
The CPSC, which oversees recalls and consumer protection enforcement, has become the latest flashpoint in Trump’s broader campaign to assert greater presidential control over independent agencies.
The Justice Department argues that the Constitution grants Trump the authority to remove executive officials without cause.
While the Supreme Court has previously sided with Trump in similar disputes —most recently upholding his power to fire officials at federal labor agencies —the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rejected his CPSC appeal, citing precedent from Humphrey’s Executor v. United States.
The justices must now decide whether to issue a temporary administrative stay while the case proceeds.
