White House Secretly Swayed Board Meant to Protect Federal Workers From Unfair Firings
NYT > U.S. > Politics — 2026-06-28 04:00:00 — www.nytimes.com
Trump Pushes Sweeping Authority Over Federal Workforce, Backed by Controversial Ruling
President Trump has repeatedly asserted that he holds broad authority to reshape the executive branch, including the power to dismiss federal officials without due process. This position, which breaks with decades of precedent, was recently backed by a landmark ruling from the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). The decision, if upheld, could drastically reduce civil service protections for thousands of federal workers.
Trump’s Asserted Power
The MSPB’s March ruling accepted the White House’s argument that Article II of the Constitution gives the president the power to dismiss officials at will. By this theory, Trump could erase long-standing civil service protections, even for public servants such as immigration judges, whose work may conflict with his political aims.
Trump’s stance is clear: he believes the president should have sweeping authority over the entire executive branch, including the ability to quickly fire federal employees. This approach aligns with the conservative “unitary executive” theory, which holds that the president can direct the actions of all executive branch employees.
Pressure on the Board
The ruling followed a concerted campaign by the Trump administration to pressure the MSPB, both publicly and privately, to adopt this expansive view of presidential power. According to people familiar with the process, a White House aide led a private push to influence the board’s decision, raising concerns about the board’s independence.
Despite administration officials’ insistence that they were not telling the board how to rule, they made it clear they believed the board was bound to follow the Office of Legal Counsel’s opinion on Article II cases—an opinion that favored Trump’s position.
Executive Order and Mass Firings
Trump’s approach has already had significant consequences. After mass firings in 2025, the MSPB was flooded with claims from dismissed workers. Trump also signed an executive order stripping job protections from nearly 8,000 workers in policy-making roles. When told the order was the idea of a White House aide, Trump responded enthusiastically, asking for an explanation and expressing approval.
Impact and Backlash
Legal experts and former board members have described the MSPB’s decision as “seismic,” reversing years of board law and undermining protections for federal workers. Some specialists compared the ruling’s impact to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, highlighting its potential to upend the federal employment system.
The decision is now under review by the full Federal Circuit, underscoring the high stakes and far-reaching implications for the civil service.
Conclusion
President Trump’s push to expand presidential authority over the federal workforce represents a fundamental shift in the balance of power within the executive branch. By asserting the right to dismiss officials without due process, Trump has challenged decades of precedent and placed civil service protections in jeopardy. As the courts weigh the legality of this approach, the future of federal employment protections hangs in the balance.