The U.S. Supreme Court's January 14, 2026, ruling in Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections (No. 24-568) is a 7-2 decision affirming that political candidates have Article III standing to challenge state election laws on vote counting in federal races.

In a high-stakes oral argument that could reshape the federal bureaucracy, the U.S. Supreme Court appears ready to hand President Donald Trump a significant victory, granting him—and future presidents—broad authority to remove heads of independent agencies without cause. The case, Trump v. Slaughter, heard on December 8, 2025, challenges the longstanding protections that shield commissioners of bodies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from arbitrary dismissal.