Appeals court blocks Trump from firing FTC commissioner

The big picture: "The government is not likely to succeed on appeal because any ruling in its favor from this court would have to defy binding, on-point, and repeatedly preserved Supreme Court precedent," the D.C.-based appeals court's majority order said.

• A White House official said in July ahead of appealing the case that the Supreme Court has previously upheld Trump's "authority to fire and remove executive officers who exercise his authority."

Context: A federal judge ruled in July that it was illegal to fire Slaughter.

• The Trump administration had asked the court to delay the ruling during its appeal in the case.
• However, the appeals court ruled that presidents can only remove FTC commissioners for "inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office."

What we're watching: The Trump administration could appeal to the Supreme Court.

What they're saying: "Amid the efforts by the Trump administration to illegally abolish independent agencies, including the Federal Reserve, I'm heartened the court has recognized that he is not above the law," Slaughter said in an emailed statement.

• "I'm very eager to get back first thing tomorrow to the work I was entrusted to do on behalf of the American people."

The other side: "President Trump acted lawfully when he removed Rebecca Slaughter from the FTC," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in an emailed statement on Tuesday evening.

• "Indeed, the Supreme Court has twice in the last few months confirmed the President's authority to remove the heads of executive agencies," he added.
• "We look forward to being vindicated for a third time — and hopefully after this ruling, the lower courts will cease their defiance of Supreme Court orders."
• Representatives for the FTC did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Go deeper: Why Rebecca Slaughter is determined to go back to the FTC

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from White House spokesperson Kush Desai.