Trump’s Authority to Ax Officials Splits D.C. Circuit Judges (1)

Federal appeals court judges were divided over President Donald Trump’s claim of expansive power to fire independent agency officials who Congress protected from at-will dismissals.

During oral argument Friday, the two Trump appointees on a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia sent different signals on whether they think Trump could legally fire members of the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board.

Judge Justin Walker fully supported the administration’s argument for the terminations, while Judge Gregory Katsas asked a series of substantive questions in an attempt to resolve what he called ...