The Tenure of Office Act, passed in 1867, denied the President of the United States the power to remove from office anyone who has been appointed or approved by Congress. It became an issue in the administration of Andrew Johnson who attempted to remove Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in February 1868 against the wishes of Congressional Republicans. Stanton locked himself in the War Department. This crisis led to Johnson's impeachment, but not his conviction by the Senate. Stanton resigned in May 1868.

In 1887 the Tenure of Office Act was repealed. In 1926, it was ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Myers v. U.S. that dealt with the ability of the President to remove Postmasters without Congressional approval.