The Supreme Court has declined to immediately rule on whether President Trump can again remove Shira Perlmutter, the director of the U.S. Copyright Office, choosing instead to wait for decisions in two major cases concerning the removal of independent agency officials. The justices said they would revisit the matter after issuing rulings in cases involving former FTC member Rebecca Slaughter and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, with arguments scheduled for the coming months.
Perlmutter was dismissed in May, one day after her office released a report questioning whether companies may legally use copyrighted content to train artificial intelligence systems. Although a district judge upheld her removal, a divided D.C. Circuit Court panel later ruled 2–1 that the dismissal was likely unlawful, allowing her to remain in her role while the case proceeds.
The administration has asked the Supreme Court to halt that decision, arguing that the Copyright Office falls under executive authority. Perlmutter’s attorneys counter that Congress intentionally structured the Library of Congress to limit presidential control. They contend that allowing the administration to bypass those limits would undermine constitutional checks and balances. The Court’s decision to delay action signals that it has not yet endorsed the administration’s arguments.
