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The ex- president's government on Monday requested the US Supreme Court to permit the termination of the director of the US Copyright Office.

This urgent appeal comes about six weeks after a national appellate court in Washington decided that the official, Shira Perlmutter, could not be solely dismissed.

Nearly four weeks ago, the full District of Columbia appeals court refused to reconsider that ruling.

This legal matter is the latest in a line of disputes concerning executive power to place chosen heads at government agencies.

The Supreme Court has generally allowed such actions, even as legal challenges continue.

However, this specific case involves an bureau within the Library of Congress. Perlmutter serves as the copyright registrar and also advises Congress on intellectual property issues.

The solicitor general, D John Sauer, argued in the legal document that, regardless of ties to Congress, the register “wields executive authority” in overseeing copyrights.

Perlmutter claims she was fired in May because the ex-leader disagreed with recommendations she provided to lawmakers in a report related to artificial intelligence.

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

A divided appeals court group ruled that Perlmutter could retain her job while the legal dispute proceeds.

“The administration's claimed blatant meddling with the duties of a congressional official, as she performs legally authorized responsibilities to counsel Congress, appears to be a violation of the separation of powers,” wrote Justice Florence Pan for the appeals court.

Justice J Michelle Childs joined the opinion. Both judges were nominated to the appeals court by Democrat President Joe Biden.

In opposition, Judge Justin Walker, a former president's nominee, wrote that Perlmutter “uses administrative power in a host of ways.”

Perlmutter's attorneys have argued that she is a renowned intellectual property expert. She has served as register of copyrights since ex- head librarian Carla Hayden selected her to the position in October 2020.

The ex-leader named assistant attorney general Todd Blanche to replace Hayden at the national library. The White House had dismissed Hayden following criticism from right-leaning groups that she was advancing a “woke” agenda.