Get ready for a potential power shift at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). With President Trump’s nominee for chairman anticipated soon, the CFTC could be heading towards an even stronger Republican majority. This comes after Wednesday’s announcement that Democratic Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero plans to step down once the new chairman is confirmed.

If Brian Quintenz, President Trump’s nominee and a former Republican commissioner at the agency, gets the green light from the U.S. Senate, Goldsmith Romero’s departure would leave Commissioner Kristin Johnson as the lone Democrat representing the minority party. This shift in leadership arrives at a critical time for the agency. Congress is currently shaping the CFTC’s future role in the crypto world, and a change in personnel is already underway, hinting at a move away from past hesitations toward the industry.

In a statement, Goldsmith Romero reflected on her time in public service, saying, “History has shown how sound regulation plays a critical role in U.S. financial markets being the envy of the world, and I am honored to have played a part in promoting U.S. markets and protecting investors and customers.” She noted that this departure marks the end of a distinguished 23-year career in the federal government, which included prominent positions at both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Treasury Department.

Commissioner Johnson chose not to comment on her fellow Democrat’s plans, simply telling CoinDesk, “I don’t want to comment on something that is still developing.”

Acting Chairman Caroline Pham released a statement acknowledging the departing commissioner, praising Goldsmith Romero as “a thought leader in combatting fraud and addressing cybersecurity in new technologies such as AI and blockchain as sponsor of the CFTC’s Technology Advisory Committee.”

Goldsmith Romero, recognized as the first LGBTQ+ commissioner at the CFTC, experienced a notable shift in her federal career path after President Trump’s victory. She had previously been President Joe Biden’s nomination to chair the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, though the Senate never voted on her confirmation.