A federal appeals court on Wednesday temporarily allowed President Donald Trump to proceed with the removal of Federal Labor Relations Authority Chair Susan Grundmann, pausing a lower court's ruling that had reinstated her after finding the firing unlawful, The Hill reported.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Trump administration's request for an administrative stay, enabling the removal of Grundmann to proceed pending further litigation.
The FLRA is critical in resolving disputes between federal employees and the federal government. Grundmann's removal, issued earlier this year via a two-sentence email, has drawn legal scrutiny for bypassing statutory protections requiring cause for termination of FLRA members.
In March, U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ruled the Trump administration's action unconstitutional, violating Grundmann's statutory removal protections.
"A straightforward reading of Supreme Court precedent thus resolves the merits of this case," Sooknanan, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, wrote in her decision. She ordered Grundmann reinstated for the remainder of her term unless overturned by a higher court.
That order has been placed on hold as the appeals court considers the government's broader motion for a stay pending appeal. Grundmann has until June 23 to file her response. Any reply from the government is due by June 27.
The legal battle reflects a broader trend under the Trump administration to expand executive authority over federal agencies.
Legal experts warn that Supreme Court precedent on agency independence could be at risk. Several conservative justices have signaled their openness to revisiting previous rulings that limit the president's ability to remove officials from independent agencies without cause.
Last month, the Supreme Court temporarily allowed Trump to proceed with firing two other officials appointed by Biden — National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox and Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris — over the dissent of the court's three liberal justices.
That emergency order reversed a lower court ruling that had reinstated the officials and marked a significant win for Trump's efforts to tighten executive control of the federal bureaucracy.
The Grundmann case is part of a broader wave of litigation confronting the Trump administration in 2025. Federal courts have issued injunctions against policies such as a transgender military ban, restrictions on birthright citizenship, and a freeze on certain federal funds.
Judges cited constitutional concerns and potential executive overreach in blocking these initiatives.
The Supreme Court has also paused a lower court order that mandated the reinstatement of thousands of federal employees fired under contested circumstances. Meanwhile, a trade court determined that Trump's use of emergency powers to impose tariffs exceeded his legal authority.
Despite these judicial hurdles, the Trump administration has affirmed its intent to implement its policy agenda while continuing to challenge adverse rulings in higher courts.
Trump has made clear that he views direct control over federal agency personnel as vital to his administration's reform efforts.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.