Originalist 'Bombshell' Complicates Case on Trump's Power to Fire Officials [View all]
Source: nytimes.com
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in December about whether President Trump can fire government officials for any reason, or no reason, despite laws meant to shield them from politics.
There is little question that the court will side with the president. Its conservative majority has repeatedly signaled that it plans to adopt the unitary executive theory, which says the original understanding of the Constitution demands letting the president remove executive branch officials as he sees fit.
But a new article, from a leading originalist law professor, has complicated and perhaps upended the conventional wisdom. The legal academy treated the development like breaking news.
Bombshell! William Baude, a law professor at the University of Chicago who himself is a prominent originalist, wrote on social media. Caleb Nelson, one of the most respected originalist scholars in the country, comes out against the unitary executive interpretation of the Constitution.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/us/politics/originalism-trump-supreme-court-unitary-executive.html
Might be problem for Trump on his quest for power. The Supreme Court respect this scholar's opinion and have taken his advice before.
Link to archived article:
https://archive.ph/qeqvR#selection-677.0-709.141