The news: President Donald Trump fired Democratic Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, triggering legal and political disputes. The two ousted officials plan to sue, arguing the move violates statutory protections and Supreme Court precedent.

• The White House justified the firings as part of Trump’s executive authority, a stance supported by FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, who said that the president has the power to remove commissioners for accountability.
• The firings leave the FTC under Republican control, with only two commissioners remaining; the status of Trump nominee Mark Meador remains uncertain as the Senate has yet to confirm him.