A federal judge has ruled that President Trump's removal of Democratic FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter was unlawful. Judge Loren AliKhan stated that the firing violated protections designed to prevent presidents from unilaterally removing officials from independent agencies. Slaughter, who was removed in March, expressed her eagerness to return to her position. The ruling emphasizes the importance of 'for-cause removal protections' for independent economic regulators, including those at the SEC, FDIC, and the Federal Reserve, safeguarding their independence from political interference.