Susan Grundmann, once the chair of the U.S. Federal Labor Relations Authority, has withdrawn her court challenge to President Donald Trump’s decision to remove her from office, closing a legal fight that had become increasingly uphill.
Her exit from the case came after a federal appeals court recently sided with Trump in similar disputes, ruling that he had the authority to dismiss Democratic members from two other federal labor boards. That decision signaled trouble for Grundmann’s argument and reshaped the landscape for challenges like hers.
Earlier, a federal judge had found Grundmann’s removal unlawful and ordered her reinstated, but that ruling was put on hold while the Trump administration appealed. The appeals court later moved in the opposite direction, concluding that agencies exercising significant executive power must remain directly answerable to the president.
Against that backdrop, Grundmann asked the court to dismiss her case. In a statement, she said the lawsuit had already served its purpose: defending the structure Congress intended for the labor authority and allowing her to continue serving the parties who rely on it, even if briefly.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority oversees disputes between federal agencies and employee unions, with the power to require bargaining and, in certain situations, block the dismissal of unionized workers.
Meanwhile, the seat Grundmann once held has been filled. The U.S. Senate confirmed Charles Arrington, a Navy veteran and longtime government attorney nominated by Trump, shifting the authority to a Republican majority.
Trump did not publicly cite a reason for removing Grundmann, who had been appointed by former President Joe Biden. She had argued that federal law limits the president’s ability to remove authority members except for specific causes. While a trial judge initially agreed, the appeals court rejected that view, reinforcing a broader interpretation of presidential control.
The issue may not be settled for long. The U.S. Supreme Court is widely expected to weigh in soon on a related dispute involving the removal of a Federal Trade Commission member—a decision that could further redefine how independent federal agencies operate and how tightly they are tethered to the Oval Office.
