PBS NewsHour anchor Amna Nawaz speaks with SCOTUSblog co-founder and Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe about two major Supreme Court rulings issued on June 30, 2026. The decisions significantly expand presidential power, allowing President Trump to fire leaders of independent federal agencies while carving out a narrow protection for the Federal Reserve. Photo: PBS NewsHour
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July 1, 2026
The Supreme Court just handed President Trump two major victories that could fundamentally reshape who controls the federal government. Here is what the rulings in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook mean for separation of powers and what students need to know.
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The U.S. Supreme Court issued two major rulings on Monday that significantly expand presidential power and President Trump's attempt to further reshape the federal government.
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NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.
Read this News Hour piece and choose one of the two Supreme Court rulings to focus on — the decision protecting the Federal Reserve's independence (Trump v. Cook) or the decision expanding the president's authority to remove leaders of independent agencies (Trump v. Slaughter).
Research the constitutional arguments on both sides of the case using the following links: Trump v. Cook & Trump v. Slaughter. Then, write a one-page brief explaining:
Explore free, classroom-ready lessons on the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the balance of power among the three branches. From landmark cases to today's biggest civic debates, Share My Lesson helps students build the background knowledge and critical-thinking skills to understand how government really works.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
