Two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have filed a lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump following their dismissals from the agency. Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya are challenging the legality of their terminations, asserting that the firings violate longstanding legal protections for officials within independent federal agencies.

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, seeks both reinstatement to their former positions and financial compensation. The plaintiffs are relying on a Supreme Court precedent established nearly 90 years ago, which provides safeguards against the arbitrary removal of commissioners from independent agencies like the FTC.

According to the complaint, the termination notices cited that the commissioners’ continued presence at the FTC was deemed “incompatible” with the current administration’s direction. However, no further explanation or specific cause for dismissal was provided. This lack of clarity has led Slaughter and Bedoya to argue that the action was unlawful and undermines the independent structure of the Commission.

“Plaintiffs will not and do not accept this unlawful action: Plaintiffs bring this action to vindicate their right to serve the remainder of their respective terms, defend the integrity of the Commission, and to continue their work for the American people,” the lawsuit states.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded by saying that the administration stands by its decision. She warned that if the legitimacy of the dismissals is legally challenged, the matter will be escalated to the Supreme Court for resolution.

This legal battle raises significant questions about the limits of presidential authority over independent regulatory agencies and could have lasting implications for future administrations. As the case moves forward, it may test the durability of institutional norms meant to preserve agency independence from executive overreach.