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The ex- leader's administration on Monday requested the nation's highest court to allow the termination of the head of the American copyright authority.

This emergency appeal follows about a month and a half after a federal appeals court in Washington decided that the official, Shira Perlmutter, could not be unilaterally fired.

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

This legal matter is the latest in a line of disputes related to presidential power to place preferred leaders at federal agencies.

The High Court has generally permitted such actions, even as legal disputes continue.

However, this specific case concerns an office within the national library. Perlmutter serves as the register of copyrights and also counsels the legislature on intellectual property issues.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, stated in the legal document that, despite ties to the legislative branch, the director “exercises executive authority” in overseeing copyrights.

Perlmutter alleges she was terminated in May because the former president disagreed with recommendations she gave to lawmakers in a report related to AI.

She reportedly received an message from the administration notifying her that her role was “terminated starting immediately,” according to her staff.

A split appellate panel ruled that Perlmutter could retain her position while the case moves forward.

“The administration's alleged obvious interference with the duties of a congressional officer, as she performs statutorily approved duties to counsel Congress, strikes us as a breach of the separation of powers,” wrote Judge Florence Pan for the appellate panel.

Justice J Michelle Childs supported the opinion. Both judges were nominated to the appellate court by Democrat leader Joe Biden.

In opposition, Justice Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, wrote that Perlmutter “exercises administrative power in a variety of ways.”

Perlmutter's lawyers have argued that she is a well-known intellectual property expert. She has served as copyright director since former head librarian Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The former president named assistant attorney general Todd Blanche to succeed Hayden at the national library. The White House had fired Hayden following criticism from right-leaning groups that she was advancing a “woke” program.