Trump Fires Election Commission Members in Latest Attempt to Control Voting Process

Warm-Up Questions

1. What does the EAC do?
2. Who was removed from the Election Assistance Commission (EAC)?
3. What recent Supreme Court decision was referenced as evidence by the White House concerning their authority to remove these commissioners?
4. How does this removal fit into the existing pattern of the White House pressuring states on election-related matters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections?
5. How have their efforts been held up across the different branches of government?

What Students Can Do

In the video, Trump v. Slaughter is mentioned as key evidence for the government’s authority to fire commissioners if they don’t line up with administration’s goals. Students can explore this recent decision by reading this law article. They can review each section to learn about the facts and impact of the decision on independent agency authority. After students are done, they should discuss the page and how important this decision is considering the recent EAC commissioner firings. Some guiding questions can be:

• Independent agencies have historically been independent from the White House’s direct control. Considering Trump v. Slaughter, how important will the impact of that decision be? Do you think further action beyond the EAC firings will take place?
• Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Roberts states that: “[T]o remain accountable to the President, those officers must be removable by the President.” Do you agree that agency heads and officers should be accountable to the President to this degree? What does this risk for their independence and ability to serve the American people effectively?

Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.