Supreme Court Halts Trump's Bid to Oust Top Copyright Official

The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily blocked Donald Trump's attempt to remove Shira Perlmutter, the U.S. register of copyrights. The court's decision allows Perlmutter to remain in her position while her legal challenge against Trump proceeds. The case centers on the president's authority to fire officials in the legislative branch.

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined a request from the Justice Department to let former President Donald Trump immediately remove Shira Perlmutter as the top copyright official. This action keeps Perlmutter in her role while her dismissal, contested legally, is reviewed.

Perlmutter, who was informed of her firing in May 2025, had been critical in advising Congress on copyright matters. Trump's decision followed a report from her office suggesting unauthorized use of copyrighted works by tech firms could be illegal, a finding with which Trump disagreed.

While Trump's subsequent firings in the Library of Congress raise questions about executive overreach, the court has left decisions on these conflicts pending. The Supreme Court is expected to review the extent of presidential authority in matters intertwining with legislative duties.