Donald Trump has been granted the authority to dismiss members of two independent agencies by a split federal appeals court in Washington. The ruling, issued by the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit in a 2-1 decision, reverses lower court rulings that had blocked Trump's removal of National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox and Cathy Harris of the Merit Systems Protections Board.

Trump replaced Wilcox as chair in January and fired her a week later, while Harris was removed from her role as chair of the merit board by Trump in early February. The cases are important tests of the president's ability to restructure US agencies established by Congress to operate independently from presidential policies and politics.

Supporters of Trump and conservatives have opposed limitations on the president's authority to dismiss executive branch officials, with the US Justice Department signaling its support for granting the president the freedom to select agency leaders with executive powers.

In reaction to the ruling, Harris expressed disagreement and intends to appeal the decision to the full Court of Appeals. Wilcox's lawyer also stated confidence in their case and readiness to present arguments in court to ensure the continued protection of workers' rights by the NLRB.

The Justice Department welcomed the ruling as a win for common sense and the American people, asserting that unelected judges should not interfere with executive authority. The White House did not immediately comment on the decision.

In the immediate aftermath, the removal of Wilcox and Harris has left both agencies without the required quorum to function. Circuit Judge Patricia Millett, who dissented from the order, warned that the decision will result in a backlog of legal claims, affecting the handling of various workplace and labor disputes by the NLRB and the MSPB.