President Donald Trump has dismissed three Democrat commissioners from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), continuing his efforts to overhaul key federal agencies. The firings target Richard Trumka Jr., Mary Boyle, and Alexander Hoehn-Saric—each originally appointed by former President Joe Biden.
Trumka and Boyle reportedly received termination notices, while Hoehn-Saric and his staff were locked out of the CPSC headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. The action followed a visit from the Department of Government Efficiency. All three officials have stated intentions to contest the decision in court.
The Trump administration has defended the move, asserting the president’s authority to remove officials from independent federal agencies. This interpretation of executive power has gained traction under the new administration and builds on earlier firings of Democrats from other regulatory bodies.
In March, President Trump removed two Democrat commissioners from the Federal Trade Commission, leaving only Republican members in place. Those firings also drew legal scrutiny, as critics argued that such removals undermine the independence of agencies established by Congress to operate outside direct presidential control.
President Trump has also taken action against several other Biden-era appointees. These include the dismissal of former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Emhoff had been tasked by the Biden administration with coordinating a national strategy against antisemitism—an effort that critics described as ineffective, especially following the surge in anti-Israel activism and antisemitic incidents after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
Additionally, Trump fired Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, who was appointed by President Barack Obama. Hayden’s promotion of progressive diversity and inclusion initiatives, along with her oversight of controversial book selections, had drawn criticism from conservative lawmakers.
These removals mark a clear shift in Washington as President Trump seeks to bring federal agencies into alignment with his administration’s priorities and conservative governance philosophy.
