By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump can fire two board members of independent agencies handling labor issues from their respective posts in the federal government. Related Articles US Naval Academy ends affirmative action in admissions Trump commutes the sentence of Ozy Media co-founder Carlos Watson Appeals court clears way for DOGE to keep operating at USAID Hegseth’s younger brother is serving in a key role as liaison and senior adviser inside the Pentagon What is the Smithsonian, and why is President Trump unhappy with it? A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed to lift orders blocking the Trump administration from removing Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris and National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox. On March 4, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled that Trump illegally tried to fire Harris. Two days later, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that Trump did not have the authority to remove Wilcox. The Justice Department asked the appellate court to suspend those orders while they appeal the decisions. President Joe Biden nominated Harris to the merit systems board in 2021 and nominated Wilcox to a second five-year term as an NLRB member in 2023. ...read more read less