South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joins 20-state coalition defending Presidential authority over executive branch

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Today, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 19 other state attorneys general in filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to uphold the President’s constitutional at-will removal authority over executive branch officials. Within one week, South Carolina has joined in Bessent v. Dellinger, Storch v. Hegseth, and Wilcox v. Trump, reinforcing the vital principles of separation of powers and state sovereignty. 

The three briefs defend President Trump’s ability to hire and fire cabinet officials within both the executive branch and independent agencies. Indeed, the President wields the Constitutional authority to remove such officers without restrictions. 

“The Constitution gives the President clear authority to manage the executive branch, and that includes removing officials who no longer have his confidence,” said Attorney General Wilson. “When Congress or courts interfere with that power, they disrupt the accountability South Carolinians and all Americans expect from their federal government. This case is about protecting the balance of power that safeguards our state’s sovereignty.” 

The 20-state coalition—including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia—warns that the concept of maintaining independent executive officers free from Presidential oversight threatens our Federalist system. Recent Supreme Court cases like Seila Law v. CFPB   underscore the President’s plenary removal power and highlight the historical limits on judicial intervention in such cases. 

“We’ve joined this battle three times now because it’s critical to our system of government,” Wilson added. “South Carolina stands firm in defending the President’s authority and the principles that keep power in check.” 

The three cases are Bessent v. Dellinger, Wilcox v. Trump, and Storch v. Hegseth. 

The as-filed briefs are available here, here, and here.