Trump Dismisses Democratic CPSC Commissioners, Proposes Overhaul

President Donald Trump has fired the three Democratic commissioners from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), all of whom were Biden appointees, following their support for stricter lithium-ion battery safety standards and opposition to staffing cuts. The dismissals leave only two Republican commissioners on the five-member board and have prompted legal challenges from the ousted members, who claim the action is unlawful and violates Supreme Court precedent protecting independent agency officials. The Trump administration has proposed absorbing the CPSC into the Department of Health and Human Services, which would reduce the agency's autonomy and budget. The White House defends the firings as within presidential authority, while critics argue the move undermines consumer safety oversight and agency independence. The dispute is expected to be contested in federal courts, as similar issues over presidential power are pending before the Supreme Court. Consumer watchdog groups have condemned the firings as a threat to effective regulation.