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The ex- president's administration on Monday requested the nation's highest court to allow the termination of the head of the US Copyright Office.

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

Almost four weeks prior, the entire District of Columbia circuit court refused to reconsider that ruling.

This legal matter is the most recent in a line of disputes concerning presidential power to place preferred leaders at federal offices.

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

However, this specific matter concerns an office inside the Library of Congress. Perlmutter serves as the copyright registrar and also advises Congress on intellectual property matters.

The solicitor general, D John Sauer, argued in the legal document that, despite ties to the legislative branch, the register “wields executive authority” in overseeing intellectual property rights.

Perlmutter claims she was fired in May because the former president disagreed with recommendations she gave to lawmakers in a document related to artificial intelligence.

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

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

“The Executive's claimed obvious meddling with the work of a Legislative Branch officer, as she carries out legally authorized duties to advise the legislature, appears to be a breach of the division of government authority,” stated Judge Florence Pan for the appeals court.

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

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

Perlmutter's attorneys have contended that she is a well-known copyright expert. She has acted as register of copyrights since ex- librarian of Congress Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The ex-leader named assistant attorney general Todd Blanche to replace Hayden at the national library. The White House had fired Hayden amid complaints from conservatives that she was promoting a “woke” program.