The ongoing legal battle between former U.S. Copyright Office director Shira Perlmutter and the Trump administration has taken a significant turn as a Trump-appointed judge ruled against her urgent reinstatement request. Congressional critics have suggested the timing of Perlmutter’s removal coincides suspiciously with her stance on copyright issues related to AI training models. Could this case have an impact on the technology industry?
Presidential Authority Tested in Copyright Office Dismissal
Shira Perlmutter, who has served as the Register of Copyrights since 2020, has filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s authority to remove her from office. The legal action comes after Trump fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden via email and subsequently terminated Perlmutter’s position in what critics have called an unprecedented move.
The case raises fundamental questions about the limits of presidential power and the independence of the U.S. Copyright Office, which plays a crucial role in advising Congress on copyright matters. Perlmutter’s lawsuit specifically argues that only the Librarian of Congress has the authority to appoint or remove the Register of Copyrights, making her dismissal “unlawful and ineffective.”
Judge declines to halt firing of Copyright Office head Shira Perlmutter https://t.co/FXzUYn1Izk pic.twitter.com/XcFktsu7Sm
— Roll Call (@rollcall) May 28, 2025
Trump-Appointed Judge Rules Against Reinstatement
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was nominated by Trump in 2017, ruled against Perlmutter’s request for immediate reinstatement while her case proceeds. The judge determined that Perlmutter would not suffer irreparable harm if she remained unemployed during the legal proceedings.
This judicial decision represents a victory for the Trump administration in its broader efforts to reduce government size and remove officials perceived as political opponents. Critics of the administration have characterized these actions as potentially unconstitutional, raising concerns about executive overreach.
"Surely no coincidence" that Trump fired Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights, "less than a day after she refused to rubber-stamp Elon Musk’s efforts to mine troves of copyrighted works to train AI models." pic.twitter.com/vFz61RWrgJ
— Andy Bloch (@Andy_Bloch) May 11, 2025
AI Copyright Concerns and Political Implications
Democratic Representative Joe Morelle of New York has suggested that the timing of Perlmutter’s removal is directly related to her position on copyright issues affecting artificial intelligence development. “Donald Trump’s termination of Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, is a brazen, unprecedented power grab with no legal basis,” Morelle stated, adding, “It is surely no coincidence he acted less than a day after she refused to rubber-stamp Elon Musk’s efforts to mine troves of copyrighted works to train AI models.”
The Copyright Office recently released a significant report addressing the use of copyrighted works in AI training, finding that some uses constitute fair use while others exceed those boundaries. This ruling carries substantial implications for technology companies developing AI systems, potentially affecting how they can utilize existing creative works for machine learning purposes.
The outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences for the separation of powers between the executive branch and Congress. Perlmutter’s lawsuit argues that executive interference in the Copyright Office disrupts the delicate balance intended by lawmakers, as the office is designed to provide independent guidance to Congress on copyright matters.