Timeline: From NCUA Firings to the Supreme Court

It's expected the U.S. Supreme Court will hand down a decision in the Trump v. Slaughter case very soon, possibly as early as next week. A decision in this case will have a direct impact on the case filed by former NCUA Board members Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka after they were fired by President Donald Trump last year.

Here's a timeline of the Harper v. Bessent litigation, which has become one of the most important legal battles over the independence of federal financial regulators and is closely tied to the broader removal-power cases moving through the courts.

April 15, 2025

Trump fires Harper and Otsuka
President Trump removed NCUA Board Members Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka via brief emails from the White House Presidential Personnel Office. No cause was cited. Their removals left Kyle Hauptman as the sole remaining NCUA Board member.

April 28, 2025

Lawsuit filed
Harper and Otsuka filed Harper v. Bessent in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit argued that Congress intended NCUA Board members to be protected from at-will removal and sought reinstatement. Defendants included President Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Hauptman and other administration officials.

April 29, 2025

Emergency relief requested
The plaintiffs filed motions for a preliminary injunction and summary judgment seeking immediate reinstatement.

May–June 2025

Briefing and oral arguments
The Trump administration argued that NCUA Board members serve at the pleasure of the President and that any implied removal protections would be unconstitutional. Oral arguments were held June 12 before Judge Amir Ali.

July 22, 2025

Major district court victory for Harper and Otsuka
Judge Amir Ali ruled that the removals were unlawful and declared that Harper and Otsuka remained members of the NCUA Board. The court held that Congress intended NCUA Board members to be removable only for cause.

July 23, 2025

Reinstatement ordered; government appeals
The district court's decision effectively restored the board to three members. The Trump administration immediately appealed to the D.C. Circuit.

July 25, 2025

Appeals court pauses reinstatement
The D.C. Circuit issued an administrative stay, preventing Harper and Otsuka from returning to the board while the appeal proceeded.

August 2025

Administration wins stay pending appeal
A D.C. Circuit panel dissolved the temporary stay but granted the administration's motion for a stay pending appeal, meaning Harper and Otsuka remained off the board while the litigation continued. The court also expedited the appeal.

Fall 2025

Case becomes tied to Supreme Court removal-power disputes
As briefing continued, attention shifted to Trump v. Slaughter and related removal-power cases involving other independent agencies. Observers increasingly viewed those cases as likely to determine the outcome of Harper v. Bessent.

Late 2025–2026

Current status
Harper and Otsuka remain off the NCUA Board while the appeal continues. John Crews has since been nominated to replace Hauptman, and the broader constitutional question of whether Congress can shield independent agency board members from presidential removal remains unresolved. The Supreme Court's ruling in Trump v. Slaughter is expected to heavily influence, and potentially decide, the ultimate fate of Harper v. Bessent.