The dismissal of the Federal Trade Commission members Tuesday potentially will allow President Donald Trump to fill their slots on the independent corporate regulator with officials more sympathetic to his administration.
Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya posted on X, "The president just illegally fired me. This is corruption plain and simple."
Another commissioner, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, released her own statement saying she'd been fired in violation of Supreme Court precedent. Past rulings have sought to solidify the FTC's independence and only allowed commissioners to be removed for a specific, justifiable reason.
The FTC was created by Congress, and it enforces consumer protections and anti-trust legislation. Its five seats are typically comprised of three members of the president's party and two from the opposing party.