BREAKING: Supreme Court sides with Trump admin, declines to reinstate board members fired

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Thursday said President Donald Trump likely has the authority to fire independent agency board members, endorsing a robust view of presidential power.

But the court suggested that it could block an attempt to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who Trump has complained has not cut interest rates aggressively.

The court’s action essentially extended an order Chief Justice John Roberts issued in April that had the effect of removing two board members who Trump fired from agencies that deal with labor issues, including one with a key role for federal workers as Trump aims to drastically downsize the workforce.

The firings have left both agencies without enough board members to take final actions on issues before them, as Trump has not sought to appoint replacements.

The decision Thursday keeps on hold an appellate ruling that had temporarily reinstated Gwynne Wilcox to the National Labor Relations Board and Cathy Harris to the Merit Systems Protection Board.

While not a final ruling, the court said in an unsigned order that the Constitution appears to give the president the authority to fire the board members “without cause.”

Defending Trump at the Supreme Court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the justices that firing Fed governors was a “distinct question” that is not presented in this case.

For the full read, visit The Associated Press.