Fired US Copyright Director Sues Trump Administration Over Removal

Shira Perlmutter, the recently terminated director of the U.S. Copyright Office, has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and other government officials, arguing that her firing was unconstitutional and unlawful. Perlmutter contends that only Congress or the Librarian of Congress has the authority to remove her, not the President, and that the White House's attempt to appoint acting replacements violates the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and legislative branch protections. Her termination followed shortly after the office issued a report highlighting the contentious intersection of artificial intelligence and copyright law, which could impact major technology companies like OpenAI and Meta. The lawsuit seeks to block Trump's appointees from assuming acting roles and to reinstate Perlmutter as director. This legal challenge is part of ongoing disputes concerning the limits of presidential power over independent government agencies. The White House has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, which adds to a series of recent high-profile federal legal battles involving Trump’s administration.