The unitary executive theory (UET) is a constitutional law theory holding that the President of the United States possesses sole authority over the executive branch. Supporters trace the theory’s origins to debates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, particularly the Virginia Plan, which emphasized a single executive.
The most controversial aspect of the theory concerns the President’s removal power. Under the UET, the President may remove appointed executive branch officials without approval from Congress or the courts. The Supreme Court has addressed the scope of this power in a series of cases. In Myers v. United States, 272 U.S. 52 (1926), the Court held that the President has exclusive authority to remove executive officers. Later decisions, such as Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, 295 U.S. 602 (1935), and Morrison v. Olson, 487 U.S. 654 (1988), placed limits on removal where Congress created independent agencies or officers with quasi-legislative or quasi-judicial functions. More recently, the Court has shifted back toward the UET view, striking down removal protections for certain executive officials. In Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 591 U.S. 197 (2020), the Court held that Congress could not insulate the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau's single director from at-will removal. In Collins v. Yellen, 594 U.S. 220 (2021), the Court similarly held that the structure of the Federal Housing Finance Agency violated the separation of powers because its single director was not removable at will by the President. The case Slaughter v. Trump, 606 U.S. ___ (2025) raises removal power issues anew: the Supreme Court considered the President’s removal of an FTC commissioner without cause, revisiting the scope of congressional authority to insulate executive officers from at-will removal.
[Last reviewed in September of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]