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

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

Nearly one month ago, the full District of Columbia circuit court refused to reconsider that decision.

This case is the latest in a line of disputes related to presidential power to place preferred leaders at government agencies.

The Supreme Court has mostly permitted such actions, even as legal challenges continue.

However, this specific matter involves an office inside the national library. Perlmutter acts as the register of copyrights and also counsels Congress on intellectual property matters.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, argued in the filing that, regardless of ties to Congress, the director “wields executive power” in overseeing copyrights.

Perlmutter claims she was fired in May because the ex-leader disapproved with advice she provided to lawmakers in a report related to AI.

She allegedly got an message from the administration notifying her that her position was “terminated effective at once,” as stated by her office.

A split appellate group ruled that Perlmutter could keep her position while the legal dispute moves forward.

“The administration's claimed obvious meddling with the duties of a Legislative Branch official, as she performs legally authorized responsibilities to counsel Congress, appears to be a breach of the division of government authority,” stated Justice Florence Pan for the appeals court.

Judge J Michelle Childs joined the ruling. Both judges were appointed to the appeals court by Democratic leader Joe Biden.

In opposition, Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, wrote that Perlmutter “uses executive authority in a variety of ways.”

Perlmutter's attorneys have contended that she is a renowned copyright expert. She has served as copyright director since former head librarian Carla Hayden selected her to the role in October 2020.

The ex-leader named deputy attorney general Todd Blanche to replace Hayden at the Library of Congress. The administration had fired Hayden following criticism from right-leaning groups that she was advancing a “woke” agenda.