NPR

Is Trump About To Be Able To Say, 'You're Fired' To A Lot More People?

The president is limited in who he can fire in the federal government, but if Brett Kavanaugh becomes Supreme Court justice, Trump will have someone who believes in broad power of the executive.
President Trump mouths the words, "You're fired," during a signing ceremony for the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 at the White House.

There are about 2 million people who work in the federal government. Despite being in charge of the executive branch, the president is limited in the people he can unilaterally fire.

But could that all be about to change?

In Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump has nominated someone to the Supreme Court who, like he, believes in an expansive view of presidential power.

Could the president hire and fire civil servants at will, for example? That question is at the heart of a concept that likely will come up often at Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings this fall.

Trump has sought to exercise a

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min readAmerican Government
Trump's Immunity Arguments And The Experiences Of The Justices Who Might Support It
Five of the six conservatives spent much of their lives in the Beltway, working in the White House and Justice Department, seeing their administrations as targets of unfair harassment by Democrats.
NPR2 min read
More Than 500 People Have Been Arrested At Pro-Palestinian Protests At Colleges
Students and others are protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and, in some cases, their school's investments in Israel. Presidents at several schools face calls to resign amid the protests.
NPR8 min read
Whither The West Coast Gangsta?
A familiar rap character, the Cali hustler cruising in a low-rider, has faded in the 21st century. On new albums by G Perico, Mozzy and Gangrene, that figure is alive and well, living in the margins.

Related Books & Audiobooks