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The former leader's administration on Monday requested the US Supreme Court to permit the termination of the director of the American copyright authority.

This emergency appeal comes about six weeks after a national appellate court in Washington ruled that the official, Shira Perlmutter, could not be unilaterally fired.

Almost four weeks ago, the entire District of Columbia circuit court declined to review that decision.

This case is the most recent in a line of cases related to presidential authority to appoint chosen heads at government offices.

The High Court has generally permitted such actions, even as court disputes continue.

However, this specific case involves an bureau within the national library. Perlmutter acts as the copyright registrar and also advises the legislature on intellectual property matters.

The government's top lawyer, D John Sauer, stated in the filing that, despite ties to Congress, the register “exercises administrative authority” in overseeing copyrights.

Perlmutter claims she was terminated in May because the former president disapproved with recommendations she gave to lawmakers in a report related to artificial intelligence.

She reportedly got an email from the White House informing her that her position was “terminated starting at once,” as stated by her staff.

A divided appeals court panel ruled that Perlmutter could retain her position while the case proceeds.

“The Executive's claimed obvious meddling with the duties of a congressional officer, as she performs statutorily approved responsibilities to advise the legislature, appears to be a violation of the division of government authority,” wrote Judge Florence Pan for the appeals court.

Judge J Michelle Childs supported the ruling. Both judges were nominated to the appeals court by Democrat leader Joe Biden.

In opposition, Judge Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, wrote that Perlmutter “exercises executive authority in a host of ways.”

Perlmutter's attorneys have argued that she is a renowned copyright expert. She has acted as copyright director since former librarian of Congress Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The former president appointed assistant attorney general Todd Blanche to succeed Hayden at the national library. The White House had fired Hayden amid complaints from right-leaning groups that she was advancing a “progressive” program.