Supreme Court Pauses Trump’s Attempt to Fire Whistleblower Agency Head
The Supreme Court has temporarily halted Trump’s effort to dismiss Hampton Dellinger from the Office of Special Counsel, pending further legal proceedings.
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Get StartedThe dispute over Dellinger is the first legal challenge to reach the Supreme Court after several firings under the Trump administration.
Supreme Court pauses Trump administration's effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency
FOX News·2M
·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.Leans RightThis outlet slightly leans right.The Supreme Court’s move deals a temporary setback to Trump’s push for early high court intervention and signals that the justices are unwilling, at least for now, to carve out an exception for temporary restraining orders in cases involving executive authority.
Supreme Court keeps pause on Trump bid to fire watchdog head
Washington Examiner·2M
·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.Leans RightThis outlet slightly leans right.The Supreme Court has issued various rulings in the past century about presidents’ ability to remove the heads of various independent agencies.
Supreme Court declines Trump's emergency bid to immediately fire head of watchdog agency
USA TODAY·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.The conservative-dominated court has previously taken a robust view of presidential power, including in last year’s decision that gave presidents immunity from prosecution for actions they take in office.
Supreme Court temporarily blocks Trump from firing head of whistleblower office
PBS NewsHour·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.If Bessent promised "an early clue" about the Nine’s "receptiveness" to those plans, tonight’s ruling suggests that the path ahead for the president could prove more challenging than he hoped.
New York Sun·2M
·Mixed ReliableThis source has a mixed track record—sometimes accurate but also prone to bias, sensationalism, or incomplete reporting.RightThis outlet favors right-wing views.The federal government had sought emergency relief for Trump to be able to fire the head of an independent watchdog agency, after lower courts rejected Trump’s bid in one of the flurry of early actions in his second term that have sparked litigation.
Supreme Court weighs in on the Trump administration’s firing of a whistleblower agency head
MSNBC·2M
·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.LeftThis outlet favors left-wing views.The current Supreme Court, dominated by a 6-to-3 conservative majority, has for years been dancing around this and similar issues but has never reversed the court's 1935 precedent declaring that presidents may only fire such agency heads for cause, meaning bad conduct.
Supreme Court punts on order that blocked Trump's firing of special counsel
NPR·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.Dellinger argued that he may be terminated only for misconduct during his fixed-term appointment.
Supreme Court Declines to Allow Trump Admin to Immediately Fire Watchdog Official
Epoch Times·2M
·Mixed ReliableThis source has a mixed track record—sometimes accurate but also prone to bias, sensationalism, or incomplete reporting.RightThis outlet favors right-wing views.Trump’s lawyers may have overplayed their hand by rushing an appeal to the high court on Sunday.
Justices turn away — for now — Trump’s appeal seeking to fire head whistleblower protection official
Los Angeles Times·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.His case highlights the ongoing battle between Trump officials and federal workers who allege that the president is running afoul of the law by firing them without cause.
Supreme Court doesn't let Trump fire head of federal watchdog agency
Newsweek·2M
·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.The emergency request was likely the first of many such applications the administration is going to file at the Supreme Court in the wake of lower court rulings that have hindered Trump’s aggressive and unprecedented shakeup of federal agencies.
Supreme Court maintains pause on Trump bid to immediately fire watchdog agency head
CNBC·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.Dellinger's firing came as part of the president's efforts to overhaul the federal government and reduce its size and spending.
Supreme Court declines to intervene for now in Trump's bid to fire head of whistleblower office
CBS News·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.The conservative-dominated court has previously taken a robust view of presidential power, including in last year’s decision that gave presidents immunity from prosecution for actions they take in office.
The Supreme Court won’t allow Trump to immediately fire head of whistleblower office
Associated Press·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.The Dellinger fight is part of a broader Trump effort to seize control of independent federal agencies.
Supreme Court Declines for Now to Let Trump Fire Agency Head
Bloomberg·2M
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.
Summary
In a key decision, the Supreme Court has allowed Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, to remain in his position at least until February 26. This ruling is a response to President Trump's attempt to dismiss Dellinger, appointed by former President Biden, over allegations of interference with presidential authority. The court's decision reflects ongoing tensions surrounding the balance of power in federal agencies and the judiciary's role in checking executive actions. The case will further unfold with a hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
Perspectives
No center-leaning sources available for this story.