Trump fires U.S.' top copyright official

Published: Monday, May 12, 2025 at 6:28 am

Trump Administration Fires Top Copyright Official, Sparking Controversy

The Trump administration has made headlines again, this time by firing Shira Perlmutter, the director of the U.S. Copyright Office and Register of Copyrights. This move, confirmed by Rep. Joe Morelle, the ranking Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, follows the earlier dismissal of Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, who oversees the Copyright Office.

The timing of Perlmutter's firing is drawing significant scrutiny. It occurred shortly after her office released a report on the use of copyrighted works in artificial intelligence (AI), an industry heavily influenced by Elon Musk, a financial backer of President Trump and head of the Department of Government Efficiency. The report raised concerns about the use of copyrighted material to train generative AI systems.

Rep. Morelle has strongly condemned the firing, calling it a "brazen, unprecedented power grab" with "no legal basis." He suggested the firing was linked to Perlmutter's refusal to endorse Elon Musk's efforts to utilize copyrighted works for AI model training. Musk, who has previously expressed support for eliminating intellectual property laws, owns the AI company xAI.

The American Federation of Musicians has also voiced its disapproval, praising Perlmutter's expertise and warning that her firing will "gravely harm the entire copyright community." They emphasized her understanding of the importance of human creativity in copyright law. Perlmutter was appointed to her position in October 2020.

BNN's Perspective: While the circumstances surrounding Perlmutter's firing raise legitimate questions about potential political influence, it's important to remember that presidential administrations often make personnel changes. However, the timing and the context of the AI report and Musk's involvement certainly warrant further investigation to ensure the integrity of copyright protections and the fair treatment of creators.

Keywords: Trump, Shira Perlmutter, Copyright Office, firing, Elon Musk, AI, intellectual property, copyright, Joe Morelle, Carla Hayden, artificial intelligence, xAI, Jack Dorsey, American Federation of Musicians, U.S. Copyright Office, Register of Copyrights, copyright law, generative AI, political influence.

Full Coverage