Trump removes 2 Democratic members of Federal Trade Commission

US President Donald Trump has dismissed two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), stepping up efforts to assert his administration's control over independent government agencies.

The White House on Tuesday confirmed the dismissals of Democratic Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter from the commission, a body tasked with protecting the public from deceptive or unfair business practices and unfair competition.

The dismissals drew strong criticism from Democratic senators and antimonopoly groups, who feared the move aims to eliminate opposition to big corporations within the agency, said media reports.

"Illegally gutting the Commission will empower fraudsters and monopolists, and consumers will pay the price," Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic senator from Minnesota, said in a statement.

The FTC, responsible for enforcing consumer protection and antitrust laws, operates with a bipartisan structure, limiting any one party to a maximum of three out of five commissioners.

Bedoya and Slaughter said they intend to file a lawsuit to challenge their dismissals.

"This is corruption plain and simple," Bedoya said in a statement on X.

Slaughter said in a statement: "The President illegally fired me from my position as a Federal Trade Commissioner, violating the plain language of a statute and clear Supreme Court precedent."

FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, a Republican appointed by Biden last year and later named chairman by Trump, stated that he has "no doubts" about Trump's constitutional authority to remove commissioners, calling it essential for ensuring democratic accountability in government.

"The Federal Trade Commission will continue its tireless work to protect consumers, lower prices, and police anticompetitive behavior," Ferguson said in a statement on X, yet it is unclear how it can fully function without the required number of members.

With Bedoya and Slaughter dismissed, the FTC is left with only two Republican-appointed commissioners, Chair Andrew Ferguson and Commissioner Melissa Holyoak. but at least three commissioners are required to form a quorum and carry out certain functions.

Mark Meador, Trump's nominee for the third Republican position on the commission, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. The Trump administration has not said if it intends to nominate replacements for the two fired commissioners. The FTC can still bring or dismiss cases with just two commissioners.

Since taking office in late January, Trump has dismissed a wide range of government officials, including ones who normally hold their positions through changes of administration, such as military leaders and the head of the FBI. He also fired 17 inspectors general, who are supposed to carry out independent oversight to prevent government waste and wrongdoing.