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The ex- leader's administration on Monday requested the nation's highest court to allow the termination of the director of the US Copyright Office.

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

Almost four weeks prior, the full District of Columbia appeals court declined to review that decision.

This case is the most recent in a series of disputes related to presidential authority to place chosen leaders at government offices.

The High Court has mostly permitted such dismissals, even as legal disputes continue.

However, this specific matter concerns an office inside the national library. Perlmutter serves as the register of copyrights and also advises the legislature on copyright issues.

The solicitor general, D John Sauer, argued in the filing that, regardless of connections to the legislative branch, the director “wields administrative authority” in regulating intellectual property rights.

Perlmutter alleges she was terminated in May because the former president disagreed with advice she provided to Congress in a report concerning AI.

She reportedly received an email from the White House informing her that her role was “ended effective at once,” as stated by her staff.

A divided appeals court group decided that Perlmutter could retain her job while the case moves forward.

“The administration's alleged obvious meddling with the duties of a congressional official, as she carries out statutorily authorized duties to advise the legislature, appears to be a violation of the separation of powers,” wrote Justice Florence Pan for the appellate panel.

Justice J Michelle Childs supported the ruling. Both judges were appointed to the appellate court by Democratic leader Joe Biden.

In dissent, Judge Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, argued that Perlmutter “exercises administrative power in a variety of manners.”

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

The former president appointed deputy attorney general Todd Blanche to replace Hayden at the national library. The White House had fired Hayden amid complaints from conservatives that she was advancing a “progressive” program.