Trump admin fires top US copyright official days after terminating Librarian of Congress

Published: Monday, May 12, 2025 at 12:20 am

Trump Administration Fires Top Copyright Official, Following Librarian of Congress Termination

The Trump administration has made headlines again, this time with the abrupt firing of Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office. The termination, effective immediately, came just days after the administration dismissed Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress.

Perlmutter, who was appointed by Hayden in October 2020, received an email from the White House informing her of the decision. The Copyright Office, which falls under the Library of Congress, handles approximately half a million copyright applications annually, covering a vast array of creative works.

This move follows a pattern of the Trump administration removing government officials perceived as opposing his agenda. The White House has not yet released a statement regarding the firings.

Perlmutter's departure comes at a critical time, particularly given the Copyright Office's recent focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright law. The office recently released a report examining the use of copyrighted materials by AI companies to train their systems. Perlmutter emphasized the importance of "human creativity" in copyright protection, stating that extending protection to machine-generated content would undermine the goals of copyright.

Perlmutter's background includes a law degree and previous roles as a policy director at the Patent and Trademark Office, as well as earlier work at the Copyright Office in the late 1990s.

BNN's Perspective:

While the administration's actions raise questions about the motivations behind these dismissals, it's important to acknowledge the President's right to appoint and remove officials. However, the timing and lack of explanation surrounding these firings, particularly in the context of ongoing debates about AI and copyright, warrant further scrutiny. Transparency and clear communication are crucial to maintaining public trust in government.

Keywords:

Trump, Shira Perlmutter, Copyright Office, Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, firing, termination, AI, artificial intelligence, copyright, intellectual property, White House, government officials, Donald Trump, U.S. Copyright Office, Register of Copyrights, copyright law, human creativity, machine-generated content

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