President Donald Trump notched a legal victory on Wednesday as a federal judge rejected an emergency bid by Shira Perlmutter, the ousted head of the U.S. Copyright Office, to reclaim her post. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that Perlmutter didn’t demonstrate sufficient harm to justify immediate reinstatement, leaving her lawsuit against the Trump administration ongoing.

Perlmutter’s legal challenge hinges on a bold claim: neither Trump nor his team had the authority to fire her, as her role falls under the Library of Congress, not the executive branch. The drama intensified when Trump sacked Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, who appointed Perlmutter in 2020, and replaced her with U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting Librarian. Perlmutter insists only the Librarian of Congress can appoint or dismiss the Copyright Office head.

But the Trump administration isn’t backing down. Their legal filing argues the Library of Congress is not some freewheeling entity immune to executive oversight. They assert it’s firmly within the president’s domain, giving Trump the power to shake things up. Yet, cracks are showing within the Republican ranks. Reports suggest House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are quietly questioning Trump’s move, wary of overstepping into legislative territory.

The plot thickens with Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) slamming Trump’s actions as a ‘brazen power grab’ with no legal grounding. He hinted at a deeper motive, noting Perlmutter’s firing came hot on the heels of her refusal to greenlight Elon Musk’s push to use copyrighted works for AI training. Coincidence? Morelle thinks not.

While Perlmutter’s immediate reinstatement was denied, her lawsuit is far from over. Judge Kelly signaled more arguments are on the horizon, promising further fireworks in this clash over power, copyright, and political control.

Copyright Law News

Trump Wins Court Battle as Judge Rejects Fired Copyright Chief’s Reinstatement Plea