President Donald Trump has removed all three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, sparking renewed concerns about the independence of federal regulatory agencies and the White House’s reach into what have long been bipartisan institutions.
The sudden ousting came just one week after the commissioners voted to move forward with a rule aimed at strengthening safety regulations for lithium-ion batteries. The devices, commonly used in everything from smartphones to e-bikes, have been linked to fires and explosions when charged improperly.
Commissioners Richard Trumka Jr., Mary Boyle, and Alexander Hoehn-Saric, all Biden-era appointees, were informed of their terminations late this week. Trumka and Boyle say they were directly notified by the White House. Hoehn-Saric, while not officially told, discovered he had been locked out of agency systems and was listed as a “former commissioner” on the CPSC website by Friday morning.
The firings followed the commissioners’ decision to bypass a recent executive order from President Trump that demands all independent agencies submit proposed rules for White House review. By moving forward with the battery rule without that step, the commission challenged what many legal scholars consider an aggressive attempt by the executive branch to expand its oversight.
“The President would like to end this nation’s long history of independent agencies, so he’s chosen to ignore the law and pretend independence doesn’t exist,” Trumka said in a statement. “I’ll see him in court.”
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, stating that the president acted fully within his constitutional authority.
“Who’s the head of the executive branch? The president of the United States,” Leavitt told reporters Friday. “He has the right to fire people within the executive branch.”
Legal experts, however, are raising questions. The Consumer Product Safety Commission was designed to function as an independent, bipartisan body. Members are typically protected from dismissal except in cases of “neglect of duty or malfeasance.” The administration’s move to remove all three Democrats appears to test those limits.
Further fueling controversy is the role played by the Department of Government Efficiency, a newly empowered office headed by Elon Musk. According to the ousted commissioners, members of DOGE visited the CPSC just days before the firings and attempted to place two of their staffers, Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh, within the agency. The commissioners reportedly refused.
“There were DOGE people in the office this week, and immediately after that, our colleagues got their emails,” Hoehn-Saric told reporters. “They’re breaking it up for parts and throwing it in the basement.”
Trumka’s push for stricter regulations has previously drawn political heat. In 2023, his comments on gas stove safety became a flashpoint in conservative media, with critics accusing him of regulatory overreach. His more recent efforts to impose safeguards on lithium-ion batteries were seen by consumer advocates as necessary, especially after a string of deadly fires linked to malfunctioning battery packs.
Republican Commissioner Peter Feldman, now acting chairman of the CPSC, issued a brief statement to staff Friday, stating the agency would “continue to carry out its duties with diligence and integrity.”
The move may end up in court. Trumka confirmed he plans to appeal the dismissal, setting the stage for a legal battle over executive authority and the limits of presidential power over independent agencies.
As the Biden-appointed commissioners exit, concerns mount that consumer protections could weaken under political pressure. What was once a relatively obscure regulatory body is now at the center of a fierce debate over the future of independent oversight in American governance.
