Supreme Court strengthens mail-in voting but expands Trump's power

The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered a mixed verdict on issues impacting Donald Trump's political battles. In one decision, the court strengthened regulations supporting mail-in voting, a move seen as a defeat for Trump's campaign against the practice. This ruling allows mail-in ballots to be counted even if they arrive after Election Day, provided they are postmarked by the election date.

However, in a significant expansion of presidential power, the court ruled that Trump can dismiss leaders of independent agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), without needing to provide a reason. This decision overturns a 91-year-old precedent that had limited the president's authority in such dismissals, asserting that the Constitution grants the president full executive power.

Trump celebrated this expansion of his authority, calling it a "great victory" and "one of the most important decisions ever on the powers of the president." Observers view this as a substantial increase in Trump's ability to influence independent government bodies.

Conversely, the court definitively ruled Trump's attempt to dismiss Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook as unlawful. The justices stated that the president cannot remove officials from the Federal Reserve "for any reason or no reason," reinforcing the independence of the central bank.