Grundmann v. Trump (2025 Federal Firing, DC)
Legal Issues
Overview
Overview
Susan Tsui Grundmann sued the Trump administration over President Trump's decision to terminate her from the Federal Labor Relations Authority, alleging that this firing is in violation of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.
The Issue
Issue
Whether President Trump's termination of Federal Labor Relations Authority member Susan Tsui Grundmann violated statutory protections under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.
The Rules
Rule
The Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute establishes the FLRA's structure and protects the tenure of its members, generally restricting removal to terminations made for cause as specified by the statute.
The Application
Analysis
Grundmann alleged that her removal violated statutory protections requiring cause-based removal procedures, contending that the President exceeded his authority by terminating an FLRA member without satisfying the statutory standards for removal.
The Conclusion
Judge Sooknanan granted Grundmann summary judgment on March 12, 2025, but the government appealed to the D.C. Circuit (No. 25-5165), which stayed that order. Grundmann's term on the Federal Labor Relations Authority had expired on July 1, 2025, and she held over under the statute until the Senate confirmed her successor on December 18, 2025. She then moved to dismiss her own appeal as moot; on February 4, 2026 the D.C. Circuit granted the motion, vacated the March 12, 2025 summary judgment, and remanded with instructions to dismiss. The district court dismissed the case with prejudice as moot on February 11, 2026. The summary-judgment win no longer stands.
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