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

This urgent appeal follows roughly six weeks after a national appellate court in Washington decided that the official, Shira Perlmutter, cannot be solely fired.

Nearly four weeks prior, the full District of Columbia circuit court refused to reconsider that decision.

This case is the most recent in a series of disputes related to executive authority to place preferred heads at government offices.

The Supreme Court has mostly allowed such dismissals, even as court disputes proceed.

However, this particular matter concerns an bureau within the national library. Perlmutter serves as the copyright registrar and also counsels the legislature on intellectual property matters.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, argued in the legal document that, despite connections to Congress, the register “exercises executive authority” in overseeing copyrights.

Perlmutter claims she was fired in May because the ex-leader disapproved with advice she gave to lawmakers in a document concerning artificial intelligence.

She allegedly received an email from the White House notifying her that her role was “terminated effective immediately,” according to her staff.

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

“The administration's alleged obvious meddling with the duties of a congressional official, as she carries out legally authorized duties to counsel Congress, appears to be a breach of the division of government authority,” stated Judge Florence Pan for the appellate panel.

Justice J Michelle Childs joined the ruling. Both judges were appointed to the appellate court by Democrat leader Joe Biden.

In dissent, Justice Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, argued that Perlmutter “exercises administrative authority in a host of ways.”

Perlmutter's lawyers have argued that she is a well-known intellectual property specialist. She has acted as copyright director since ex- librarian of Congress Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The former president named deputy attorney general Todd Blanche to succeed Hayden at the Library of Congress. The White House had dismissed Hayden amid criticism from conservatives that she was advancing a “progressive” agenda.