Trump's Labor Board Reshuffle: A Battle Over Presidential Powers

A U.S. appeals court ruled in favor of President Trump, allowing him to remove Democratic members from federal labor boards, challenging the laws that protect independent agency members. This decision temporarily halts the roles of Cathy Harris and Gwynne Wilcox, impacting thousands of pending cases.

In a significant legal turn, a U.S. appeals court on Friday granted President Donald Trump the authority to remove Democratic members from two federal labor boards. The court's ruling represents a triumph for Trump's ongoing campaign to exert control over independent federal agencies.

The decision was made by a panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. With a 2-1 decision, the panel paused earlier rulings deeming Trump's removal of Cathy Harris and Gwynne Wilcox as unlawful. The Republican-appointed judges argued that Congress-approved protections for board members clash with presidential authority as outlined by the Constitution.

Without Harris and Wilcox, the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board are at a near standstill, unable to reach decisions due to incomplete membership. Trump's administration is scheduled to appeal further in May, adding uncertainty to the fate of over 8,400 pending cases that could remain unresolved during this legal standoff.

(With inputs from agencies.)