Updates on President Trump's Presidential Actions and Cabinet Assignments

President Donald Trump dismissed several members of independent agencies, removing them years before their terms were set to expire. This unprecedented exercise of executive power affected U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels, as well as National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Gwynne Wilcox, whose term was set to run until 2028.

Additionally President Trump also dismissed EEOC General Counsel Karla Gilbride, following the dismissal of NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. However, those actions mirrored former President Joe Biden’s decision to dismiss EEOC General Counsel Sharon Gustafson and NLRB General Counsel Peter Robb at the start of his presidency.

In response, Wilcox (NLRB) has filed a lawsuit, claiming that the actions were “unprecedented and illegal,” and that they have left the NLRB without enough members to maintain a quorum. At the time of writing, Burrows (EEOC) has reportedly retained legal counsel, and stated that she would “explore all legal options available to [her].” These developments may progress through the courts, potentially requiring review by the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, President Trump has appointed acting general counsels for the EEOC and NLRB: Andrew Rogers and William B. Cowen, respectively. However, a permanent general counsel for each agency must be confirmed by the Senate.

To stay updated, SHRM has created a 1^st 100 days website that can be accessed here.