Letter Opposing President Trump's Firing of FTC Commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter

This week, President Donald Trump unlawfully attempted to terminate duly appointed and Senate-confirmed Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter from their positions at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), years before their terms would expire. This illegal action is a direct attack on the independence of an agency that has long served as a cornerstone of consumer protection and worked to create a fair playing field for all businesses in the United States. 

The 25 undersigned public interest organizations are alarmed at the president’s unlawful actions to dismantle the FTC’s independence and impede commissioners’ work on behalf of everyday Americans. We urge you to investigate these unlawful attempted firings and act swiftly to restore the FTC’s independence, using all tools available to Congress. Additionally, President Trump’s nomination of Mark Meador to serve as a commissioner at the agency should not advance until Commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter once again have full and permanent access to their Senate confirmed positions. 

The FTC plays a vital role in safeguarding American consumers, with a bipartisan history of protecting the public from harm, including elder fraud, children’s privacy violations, and deceptive advertising. The Commission is also essential in maintaining fair competition, preventing monopolistic practices, and fostering a marketplace where innovation and consumer choice can thrive. Without an independent FTC, corporations would face fewer barriers to exploiting individuals through practices like intrusive data collection and AI-driven manipulation. In today’s digital landscape, where personal information is increasingly at risk, the FTC’s role in enforcing consumer protections has never been more critical.

Read the full letter below.