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The ex- president's administration on Monday petitioned the US Supreme Court to permit the removal of the head of the US Copyright Office.

This emergency appeal comes about six weeks after a federal appeals court in Washington decided that the director, Shira Perlmutter, could not be unilaterally dismissed.

Nearly one month prior, the entire District of Columbia circuit court refused to reconsider that ruling.

This legal matter is the latest in a series of disputes related to executive authority to appoint preferred heads at federal agencies.

The Supreme Court has generally allowed such dismissals, even as court challenges continue.

However, this specific case concerns an bureau inside the Library of Congress. Perlmutter serves as the copyright registrar and also advises Congress on copyright issues.

The solicitor general, D John Sauer, argued in the filing that, despite ties to Congress, the director “wields administrative power” in regulating copyrights.

Perlmutter alleges she was terminated in May because the ex-leader disapproved with advice she gave to Congress in a document concerning AI.

She reportedly got an message from the White House informing her that her position was “ended effective at once,” as stated by her office.

A divided appeals court group decided that Perlmutter could keep her job while the case proceeds.

“The administration's alleged blatant interference with the duties of a congressional official, as she performs legally approved responsibilities to advise Congress, appears to be a breach of the separation of powers,” stated Justice Florence Pan for the appeals court.

Judge J Michelle Childs supported the opinion. Both justices were nominated to the appellate court by Democratic President Joe Biden.

In dissent, Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, wrote that Perlmutter “uses administrative authority in a host of ways.”

Perlmutter's lawyers have argued that she is a renowned intellectual property expert. She has served as register of copyrights since ex- head librarian Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The former president named assistant attorney general Todd Blanche to replace Hayden at the national library. The White House had dismissed Hayden following complaints from right-leaning groups that she was advancing a “woke” program.