The Constitution
removal power
The President's contested authority to fire executive officers without Senate approval. Its reach over 'independent' agencies is an active constitutional battleground.
In full
The Constitution says how officers are appointed but not how they are removed. Myers v. United States (1926) confirmed broad presidential removal power over executive officers; Humphrey's Executor (1935) allowed Congress to protect multi-member independent commissions; recent decisions (Seila Law, 2020) have trimmed those protections. Where the line finally settles will define how independent the 'independent' agencies really are.
Where to go next
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Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.