President Donald Trump has taken action to remove Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub, but the Democrat appointee refuses to accept her firing. Instead of leaving quietly, Weintraub insists that Trump does not have the authority to remove her, further proving why she was the right choice for dismissal.
Weintraub, who was first placed on the FEC by President George W. Bush in 2002, has long been a critic of Trump, frequently pushing back against his concerns about election integrity. She continued to hold her seat despite her term officially expiring in 2007. On Thursday, Trump put an end to her tenure, issuing a letter that read, “Dear Commissioner Weintraub, You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission effective immediately.”
Instead of complying, Weintraub went public with her defiance, posting on X: “Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of [the FEC]. There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners—this isn’t it.”
Weintraub’s removal follows her repeated efforts to use the FEC to investigate Trump. Most recently, she focused on alleged payments to Stormy Daniels, while ignoring broader concerns about election security that many Americans share.
The FEC, which requires a quorum to function, has often been held up by political battles over appointments. Weintraub has remained on the commission for nearly two decades because the Senate failed to confirm a replacement. Now, Trump’s move to fire her has thrown the agency into uncertainty.
By Friday morning, the FEC website listed Weintraub’s seat as vacant. The agency has since canceled its upcoming Feb. 13 meeting, further complicating its ability to operate.
