Supreme Court backs Trump’s ability to fire independent agency leaders as legal battles take shape

The Supreme Court expressed displeasure Wednesday with lower court judges who continue to block President Trump’s firings of agency heads, saying it has made clear the president can carry out firings while the legal battles develop.

The court ruled specifically that Mr. Trump can, at least for now, boot three Consumer Product Safety Commission members.

In an unusually stern order, the high court majority said it had settled the issue earlier this year when it allowed Mr. Trump to fire members of the National Labor Relations Board.

The justices said that should have been a signal to lower court judges.

“Although our interim orders are not conclusive as to the merits, they inform how a court should exercise its equitable discretion in like cases,” the court said.