President Donald Trump has dismissed Robert Primus, a Democratic member of the five-person Surface Transportation Board, the independent U.S. regulator overseeing freight rail competition. The White House confirmed the firing, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, on 28 Aug. Primus’s ouster lands while the board weighs Union Pacific’s proposed $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern, a deal that would create the country’s first contiguous coast-to-coast railroad. He had previously cast the lone vote against the 2023 Canadian Pacific–Kansas City Southern consolidation. White House spokesman Kush Desai said Primus “did not align with the President’s America First agenda” and that the administration intends to nominate a replacement quickly. The dismissal extends a pattern of Trump removing Democrats from independent commissions, including recent departures at the Federal Trade Commission and National Transportation Safety Board. Primus called the termination “legally invalid” and said he will continue to carry out his duties while exploring legal options, setting the stage for another court battle over executive authority to reshape regulatory agencies.