U.S. President Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Amid Legal Controversy
On January 31, 2025, President Donald Trump was seen signing an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House. This moment comes as a new lawsuit has been filed against him by Gwynne Wilcox, the former chair of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), accusing Trump of unlawful termination.
Wilcox’s legal team contends that her dismissal from the NLRB was driven by political motives, violating a nearly century-old statute that safeguards the board’s independence. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeks to have Wilcox reinstated and to declare her firing illegal.
The NLRB, created by Congress to uphold labor laws in the U.S., is designed as an independent agency with protections against arbitrary removal of its board members. Notably, Wilcox’s firing marks the first time a president has dismissed an NLRB member. Trump appointed a new chair on his first day in office, and within a week, Wilcox, along with top NLRB attorney Jennifer Abruzzo, was let go via a late-night email. This correspondence cited the need for leaders within the Executive Branch to align with Trump’s administration objectives, which Wilcox argues undermines the NLRB’s independent status.
Wilcox’s lawsuit raises concerns beyond her individual case, asserting that her termination has halted all regulatory activities of the NLRB. With her ousting, the board is left with only two members, Marvin Kaplan and David Prouty, failing to meet the three-member quorum required for operations. This situation could favor companies, including SpaceX and Amazon, that have challenged the NLRB’s structure in court.
Billionaire Elon Musk, a known critic of labor unions and a major donor to Trump’s campaigns, plays a significant role in the current administration’s efforts to reform federal agencies, aiming to reduce government size and spending. Musk’s group, known as DOGE, has been actively working to reshape federal operations, although they have not yet engaged with the NLRB.
Wilcox’s legal action also poses a challenge to the extent of presidential powers, as her attorneys argue that Trump’s firings are part of a broader strategy to undermine the authority of independent agencies created by Congress. They assert that if left unchallenged, such actions could dismantle the protections established under longstanding labor laws.
Wilcox was appointed to the NLRB in August 2021 and was confirmed for a second term in September 2023. Her lawsuit highlights her historical significance as the first Black woman to chair the board. According to the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, a board member can only be removed for neglect or misconduct after due process, which Wilcox claims was not afforded to her in this instance.
