Trump officials ask supreme court to allow firing of top copyright official

The Trump administration has taken its fight to the US Supreme Court, seeking permission to terminate the director of the US Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter. The move comes after a federal appeals court in Washington ruled that Perlmutter could not be unilaterally fired by President Donald Trump.

In January, a three-judge panel refused to reconsider the ruling, citing concerns over the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. The full District of Columbia circuit court of appeals had also previously denied Perlmutter's request for an injunction against her termination.

Perlmutter, who has served as register of copyrights since 2020, claims she was fired in May due to disagreements with Trump over a report on artificial intelligence. However, Solicitor General John Sauer argues that despite the ties to Congress, Perlmutter "wields executive power" in regulating copyrights.

The case revolves around whether Trump's authority to install his own officials at federal agencies is absolute or subject to judicial oversight. While the Supreme Court has largely allowed Trump to fire officials, this case presents a unique challenge due to the Copyright Office's role within the Library of Congress.

A divided appeals court panel ruled that Perlmutter could retain her position while the case proceeds, citing concerns over Trump's alleged interference with legislative branch functions. In contrast, Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, wrote in dissent that Perlmutter exercises executive power in various capacities.

Perlmutter's attorneys argue that she is an expert in copyright law, having served as register of copyrights since 2020. The case has implications for the administration's authority to install its own officials and the limits of presidential power over federal agencies.

I don't get why Trump is making such a big deal about this . I mean, Shira Perlmutter has been doing her job just fine since 2020, and now she's being targeted because of some disagreement over AI reports? That seems kinda petty to me. And what's with the Supreme Court stepping in on this one? Don't they have more important cases to handle? It's all just a big mess . And let's be real, if Trump wants to make changes, he should talk to Congress about it instead of trying to go around them . This whole thing is just a distraction from the real issues at hand .

This is a weird move by Trump . Think about it, the Copyright Office is not just any agency, it's part of the Library of Congress... does he really think he can just appoint whoever he wants there? It's like trying to pack a deck with his favorite cards, not exactly what the founding fathers had in mind . And what's with the AI report drama? Can't we just focus on finding new tech solutions instead of politicizing everything? I'm curious to see how this plays out...

this whole thing just seems like a big mess ... i mean, shira perlmutter is just trying to do her job as register of copyrights and trump decides he wants her gone? it's not like she's doing anything wrong, just exercising her authority to regulate copyrights, which is part of her role... and now the admin is trying to take that away from her? i don't think this has much to do with executive power or who wields power in the government. it seems like trump just wants someone who shares his views on artificial intelligence (ugh). anyway, i hope the supreme court sees sense and says she can stay in her job... we need experts like shira perlmutter, not yes-men

omg did u know that i just tried this new ice cream flavor at the mall yesterday and it was SO GOOD i mean, i'm not even kidding i had 2 scoops in one sitting lol anyway back to trump and his copyright office thing... idk man can't he just let shira do her job without all this drama? and btw has anyone tried that new ice cream shop downtown? i think they have a unique flavor of the month...

man... this whole thing got me thinking about power struggles and accountability . it seems like trump is trying to push boundaries with his admin, but what are the consequences of that? if he can just fire someone willy-nilly, who's gonna keep him in check? it's interesting how perlmutter's role as register of copyrights has become a battleground – does she have some kind of executive power or is she just a figurehead? and what does this say about the balance between the branches of government? are we just gonna sit back and let one branch run roughshod over the others, or do we need to find a way to reign him in?

come on , can't trump just make his own moves without someone questioning it? it feels like he's trying to exert more control than he actually has in this whole situation , i mean, isn't that what the system is supposed to prevent? the fact that a federal appeals court even had to get involved to rule on whether perlmutter can be fired says something about how messed up things are at the trump admin . shouldn't we just trust that the system works as it's designed?

this whole thing is kinda fishy... like, Trump wants to fire someone just 'cause they didn't agree with him on some AI report? sounds like a personal vendetta ... and now he's taking it all the way to the Supreme Court ... what's next? is he gonna try to control everything in the country?

I find it quite intriguing that the Trump administration is pushing this case all the way to the Supreme Court. It raises interesting questions about the scope of presidential authority in appointing and firing officials at federal agencies . The fact that the Copyright Office falls under the Library of Congress adds a layer of complexity, highlighting the need for careful consideration of the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches .

It's worth noting that Perlmutter's expertise in copyright law is quite extensive, having served as register since 2020 . Her position is not merely a administrative role but also carries significant weight in shaping US intellectual property policy. The implications for the administration's authority to install its own officials and limit presidential power over federal agencies are far-reaching and will likely have a lasting impact on governance structures .

The Supreme Court's decision on this case could provide valuable insight into the limits of executive power and the role of individual agency heads within federal agencies . It will be interesting to see how the Justices weigh in on this matter and what guidance they may offer for future administrations .

this whole thing just feels like a big mess, you know? Like, Trump is trying to exert his executive power over someone he doesn't even agree with, and it's just gonna get messy. And what's up with the fact that Perlmutter can still do her job while this case is going on? It's like the appeals court is just letting her have a little more breathing room before they make any final decisions.

But at the same time, I gotta think about all the implications of this whole thing... if Trump is really trying to install his own officials without anyone checking him in, that's a pretty slippery slope. We're already dealing with enough issues around the separation of powers and whatnot... adding more executive overreach to the mix just feels like too much.

I mean, I'm not gonna sit here and say I know all the answers or anything, but it seems to me that we need some kind of check on Trump's power here. Like, Congress needs to step in and make sure he doesn't try to do something totally out of line... but at the same time, Perlmutter can't just let him get away with firing her without a fight.

Ugh, I don't know what to think about this one...

man this whole thing got me thinking about how accountability works... i mean don't get me wrong, a president is supposed to be able to make decisions on who they want in their team but there's also gotta be checks and balances, right? it's like, what if the president just decided to install whoever they wanted no matter what anyone else thought? that'd be a recipe for disaster.

i'm curious about Shira Perlmutter too... what kind of expert in copyright law is she exactly? does she have the skills to regulate copyrights without being beholden to the executive branch? it's like, are we talking about someone who's making decisions on behalf of artists and creators or just serving their own interests?

and then there's this whole issue of Trump's authority... i mean, can a president really just unilaterally install whoever they want at a federal agency? that raises some serious questions about the separation of powers. it's like, what happens when the president thinks they're above the law or something...

I mean, this whole thing with Shira Perlmutter is like a bad episode of "The West Wing" . I'm pretty sure even Marty Scorsese wouldn't make up a story like this! It's crazy that Trump is trying to fire her over some report on AI... what's next, firing the director of NASA because they used too much rocket fuel?

Ugh, what's going on with this Trump admin?! They're trying to fire some poor lady who just does her job, and it's getting ridiculous! Shira Perlmutter is like, literally a copyright expert, and they're saying she's got executive power? Give me a break! The appeals court already said no way, but Trump's all like "I'll do what I want" . It's just another example of him trying to bend the rules and get away with it.

And can we talk about how weird this is? The Copyright Office is literally part of the Library of Congress, which is supposed to be super impartial. So, now Trump's trying to basically make himself the copyright king? It's like he thinks he's above the law or something. Newsflash, Donald: you're not above the law! We've got checks and balances for a reason!

I just got back from the most amazing hike this weekend and I was thinking, have you ever noticed how beautiful a sunset can be? Like, I saw these clouds that were literally on fire, but in a good way . It made me think about art and creativity, and how it's not just limited to visual stuff, like paintings and sculptures. You know what I mean? I was also thinking, have you tried those new iced coffees at Starbucks? they're so good! Anyway, back to this copyright thing... I'm no expert, but isn't the whole point of having a register of copyrights just to make sure people are following the rules and respecting each other's work? Like, what happens if someone tries to just disregard those rules because they can?