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The former leader's administration on Monday requested the US Supreme Court to permit the removal of the head of the US Copyright Office.

This emergency appeal comes about a month and a half after a national appeals court in Washington decided that the director, Shira Perlmutter, cannot be solely fired.

Almost one month ago, the full District of Columbia circuit court refused to review that ruling.

This legal matter is the most recent in a series of cases concerning executive power to appoint preferred leaders at government offices.

The High Court has generally permitted such dismissals, even as court challenges proceed.

However, this particular matter involves an bureau within the national library. Perlmutter serves as the register of copyrights and also counsels Congress on intellectual property issues.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, stated in the filing that, regardless of ties to Congress, the director “exercises administrative authority” in regulating copyrights.

Perlmutter claims she was terminated in May because the former president disapproved with advice she gave to Congress in a report concerning artificial intelligence.

She reportedly received an email from the White House informing her that her role was “terminated effective at once,” as stated by her office.

A split appeals court panel ruled that Perlmutter could retain her position while the legal dispute moves forward.

“The administration's claimed blatant meddling with the duties of a Legislative Branch official, as she carries out statutorily authorized duties to counsel the legislature, strikes us as a breach of the separation of powers,” wrote Justice Florence Pan for the appellate panel.

Justice J Michelle Childs joined the opinion. Both justices were appointed to the appeals court by Democrat leader Joe Biden.

In dissent, Judge Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, argued that Perlmutter “exercises executive authority in a host of manners.”

Perlmutter's attorneys have contended that she is a renowned copyright specialist. She has served as register of copyrights since former librarian of Congress Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The former president appointed deputy attorney general Todd Blanche to succeed Hayden at the Library of Congress. The administration had fired Hayden amid criticism from right-leaning groups that she was promoting a “woke” agenda.