The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge brought by former Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Chair Cathy Harris, leaving intact a lower court ruling that upheld President Donald Trump’s decision to remove her from office. The move comes just a day after the nation’s highest court significantly broadened presidential authority over independent federal agencies.
The court’s refusal to take up Harris’ appeal follows its landmark 6-3 ruling that struck down statutory protections limiting a president’s ability to dismiss members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In that decision, the conservative majority concluded that restrictions allowing removal only for reasons such as inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance were inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution.
The same legal protections apply to members of the MSPB, prompting a federal appeals court in Washington last December to invalidate those safeguards. That ruling also upheld Trump’s dismissal of Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), another independent agency whose members had long enjoyed similar job security.
The MSPB serves as the primary forum where federal employees challenge disciplinary actions, suspensions and dismissals. As the Trump administration continues reshaping the federal workforce and reducing government staffing, the board has become an increasingly significant institution for employees seeking legal review of their terminations.
Legal observers expect the Supreme Court’s latest stance to influence several pending cases involving other officials removed by Trump from independent agencies. More broadly, the decisions strengthen presidential control over bodies that Congress historically structured to operate with a degree of independence from the White House.
Reacting to the outcome, Harris criticized the decision, arguing that it weakens the independence of the federal civil service. She said the ruling undermines the nonpartisan nature of the MSPB and warned that it could revive a system in which political considerations play a greater role in government employment.
Harris’ removal had temporarily left the three-member MSPB unable to function because it lacked the minimum number of members required to decide appeals. The deadlock ended after the U.S. Senate confirmed a Trump nominee to the board, restoring its quorum.
The MSPB has since experienced an unprecedented surge in workload. Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, the board has received more than 20,000 appeals from federal employees—far exceeding the volume typically seen during the same period in previous years.
The case, Harris v. Bessent, now stands as another milestone in a series of judicial decisions expanding the president’s authority over officials serving on independent federal boards and commissions.
