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The ex- leader's government on Monday requested the US Supreme Court to permit the removal of the director of the US Copyright Office.

This urgent appeal follows about six weeks after a national appeals court in Washington ruled that the director, Shira Perlmutter, cannot be solely dismissed.

Almost one month ago, the entire District of Columbia appeals court refused to reconsider that decision.

This case is the most recent in a series of disputes concerning presidential power to place preferred heads at government offices.

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

However, this specific matter involves an office inside the national library. Perlmutter serves as the copyright registrar and also counsels Congress on copyright issues.

The solicitor general, D John Sauer, stated in the legal document that, regardless of ties to the legislative branch, the register “wields executive power” in overseeing copyrights.

Perlmutter alleges she was terminated in May because the former president disagreed with recommendations she provided to lawmakers in a document concerning AI.

She allegedly got an message from the administration notifying her that her position was “terminated effective immediately,” according to her office.

A divided appeals court panel ruled that Perlmutter could retain her job while the legal dispute moves forward.

“The Executive's claimed obvious interference with the work of a Legislative Branch official, as she carries out statutorily approved responsibilities to advise the legislature, appears to be a violation of the separation of powers,” wrote Judge Florence Pan for the appeals court.

Judge J Michelle Childs supported the opinion. Both justices were nominated to the appeals court by Democratic President Joe Biden.

In dissent, Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, wrote that Perlmutter “exercises executive authority in a host of manners.”

Perlmutter's lawyers have argued that she is a well-known intellectual property expert. She has served 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 succeed Hayden at the national library. The White House had fired Hayden following complaints from right-leaning groups that she was advancing a “progressive” agenda.