Democracy Under Pressure – Redrawing Power: The Supreme Court and the Future of Executive Authority

s the Supreme Court revisits and revises the limits of presidential and administrative power, its decisions are reshaping the scope of executive authority. A conservative majority has signaled openness to the “unitary executive” theory, which asserts that the president has sweeping control over the executive branch, including independent agencies. In recent arguments, the Court has appeared willing to use this theory to justify the removal of a Federal Trade commissioner, potentially overturning a 90-year-old precedent.

Unitary executive theory has also been invoked alongside other arguments for executive expansion by Project 2025, the controversial set of initiatives that calls for rolling back key regulatory and civil rights protections, including workplace discrimination oversight and healthcare rights for transgender people.

This panel brings together leading scholars to explore what’s at stake: the future of federal agencies, the balance of powers, and the trajectory of American democracy.

This event is co-sponsored by the Public Policy Program, the Political Science Department at Hunter College, and the LGBTQ Policy Center. It is made possible in part by the generous support of the New York City Council and the CUNY LGBTQ Consortium.