The White House has asked Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Willie Phillips, a Democrat, to resign from the position. Phillips’ departure is “effective immediately” as reported by Politico. According to Phillips the request was “not a surprise.”

Phillips was appointed as a FERC commissioner in 2021, then named Chairman of FERC in January 2023 by President Biden. Phillips’ commissioner position should have continued until June 2026. The open seat on FERC’s 5-person commissioner team gives President Trump the opportunity to fill the open commissioner seat.

FERC is an independent agency tasked with regulating interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil. It is responsible for issuing approvals for, among other things, LNG terminals and interstate oil pipelines.