White House plans to appoint a Republican and a Democratic member to the Surface Transportation Board -MSNBC

White House plans to appoint a Republican and a Democratic member to the Surface Transportation Board -MSNBC

The White House has announced plans to appoint a Republican and a Democratic member to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) in the wake of the recent firing of Democratic member Robert Primus. This move comes as the board prepares to consider the largest railroad merger ever proposed, the $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific.

Primus, who was fired by the White House, had served as a board member since his appointment by Trump in his first term. He was the only board member to oppose the Canadian Pacific’s acquisition of Kansas City Southern railroad two years ago. The firing of Primus leaves the board with two vacancies, which the White House intends to fill with new, more qualified members [1].

The White House's decision to remove Primus is part of a broader pattern of removing officials from independent agencies and commissions. The move has sparked criticism from various stakeholders, including Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who serves on the Commerce Committee. Baldwin described the firing as an attempt to stack the deck in favor of Wall Street and wealthy railroad owners [1].

The STB is currently set to review the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger in the next two years. The merger, if approved, would create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. and reduce the number of major freight railroads to five. Primus had expressed concerns about the lack of growth and poor service in the industry, and he did not support the idea that mergers would necessarily improve competition [1].

The White House has stated that Primus did not align with the President's America First agenda, and that the administration intends to nominate new members to the STB in short order. The appointment of new members will likely shift the balance of power on the board, potentially influencing its decisions on railroad mergers and other regulatory matters [2].

The firing of Primus and the subsequent appointment of new members raise questions about the independence and credibility of the STB. Critics argue that the move threatens the board's ability to act impartially and in the best interests of consumers and the economy [3].

References:

[1] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-fires-democratic-surface-transportation-board-member-before-huge-rail-merger-decision
[2] https://wkzo.com/2025/08/28/white-house-fires-railroad-regulating-surface-transportation-board-member/
[3] https://sjvsun.com/u-s/white-house-fires-surface-transportation-board-member/