A federal judge in Washington, DC, ruled President Donald Trump’s firing of the former chairwoman of the National Labor Relations Board as an “illegal act,” criticizing Trump’s actions as exceeding the boundaries of his office. This decision marks the third time in a week that federal judges have deemed Trump’s firing of officials from independent agencies as unlawful. The judge, Beryl Howell, reinstated the ousted chairwoman, Gwynne Wilcox, as a board member, but allowed Trump’s appointee, Marvin Kaplan, to remain as chair of the NLRB.

Howell’s scathing ruling emphasized that the President’s actions were a blatant violation of the law, highlighting that the power to remove federal officers is not absolute and must adhere to statutory regulations. Wilcox had filed a lawsuit against Trump and Kaplan, asserting that her dismissal did not comply with federal law requirements for removal of board members.

The judge’s decision underscores the importance of due process and adherence to legal procedures in removing officials from their positions. Howell’s ruling serves as a significant legal precedent regarding the limits of presidential power and the protection of independent agency heads from arbitrary removal. This case adds to a series of legal challenges against Trump’s removal of officials, signaling a broader judicial scrutiny of executive actions within independent agencies.