Trump’s unlawful power grab undermines FTC’s bipartisan history of protecting consumers from harm, no matter who sits in the Oval Office

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, led Democrats in opposing Trump nominee Mark Meador for a spot on the Federal Trade Commission after firing the two Democratic Commissioners without cause and undermining the FTC’s independence and history of protecting consumers from fraud, scams and anti-competitive practices, free from political influence.

“Ninety years ago, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law that affirmed that FTC Commissioners should be protected and removed only for cause,” Sen. Cantwell said on the Senate floor last night. “Since that ruling, the FTC has flourished as a consumer protection watchdog – independent of the influence of the President. Until now.”

“On March 18, 2025, President Trump illegally fired the Democratic Commissioners, Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya from the FTC… leaving the Commission with only Republican Commissioners and destroying the agency’s longstanding independence,” the senator added.

The firings followed an executive order (EO) on February 18, 2025, in which Trump asserted “Presidential supervision and control of the entire executive branch,” including independent agencies like the FTC. Nevertheless, Republicans confirmed Mr. Meador, cementing a 3-0 majority for Trump and risking the erosion of consumers’ trust in the agency.

During his nomination hearing before the Commerce Committee, Meador refused to commit that he would reject an illegal order from the President. Mr. Meador also refused to acknowledge the importance of the FTC’s independence, including from undue political pressure.  

“When I and several colleagues asked whether he would refuse to carry out illegal orders from the President, Mr. Meador hedged,” Sen. Cantwell said on March 12, before voting against advancing his nomination to the full Senate. “The answer from any nominee should simply be ‘No,’ but he hedged. We need somebody who believes that they're not just a rubber stamp for the President but have responsibilities and duties to carry out.” 

On March 19, Sen. Cantwell and more than two dozen Democratic Senators called on President Trump to reverse his illegal firing of Democratic Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya. 

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