The White House has abruptly fired Robert Primus, a Democratic member of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), in yet another move by President Trump to tighten his grip on independent agencies.
Primus, who learned of his ouster by email Wednesday evening, wasted no time blasting the decision.
“This is deeply troubling and legally invalid,” he wrote on LinkedIn, vowing to keep doing his job — or fight back in court if blocked.
The timing is hard to miss: the STB is currently weighing a blockbuster $85 billion merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. If approved, the deal would create the first coast-to-coast railroad in US history.
The White House gave no detailed explanation for Primus’ firing, other than a statement that he “did not align with the President’s America First agenda.” His government devices were cut off almost immediately after the email went out.
Primus’ term wasn’t set to expire until 2027. He was first confirmed to the board during Trump’s first term, later elevated to chairman under President Biden. Notably, he was the lone board member to oppose the 2021 Canadian Pacific–Kansas City Southern rail merger, which regulators later approved.
Labor groups quickly sounded the alarm.
“It would be a mistake to replace Mr. Primus with a member who caters only to powerful carriers that prioritize profits over the long-term success of the industry,” the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department said in a statement urging Trump to reverse course.
The STB, a five-member panel created by Congress to keep partisan dominance in check, now has just three active members listed on its website. That leaves Trump room to quickly install loyalists, potentially tilting the balance on the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern deal and other hot-button rail disputes.
Primus’ firing is part of a broader pattern. Just this week, Trump also moved against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — who immediately sued — and ousted the CDC director, prompting several senior health officials to resign in protest. Earlier this year, he forced out commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, along with leaders at the National Archives and other watchdog agencies.
For investors, at least, the shake-up didn’t look troubling: Union Pacific’s stock ticked up after news of the firing, while Norfolk Southern shares climbed even higher.
Primus, though, isn’t backing down.
“Ironically, this comes at a time when the Board is considering pressing matters that directly affect our national freight rail network and supply chain,” he wrote. “I have worked tirelessly to build bipartisan trust and render fair, impartial decisions.”
Translation: He’s not leaving quietly — and the fight over his firing could end up in the courts, right alongside the rail merger itself.
With input from NBC News, Axios, the Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg.
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