Trump Administration Fires Top U.S. Copyright Official Days After Removing Librarian of Congress

The Trump administration has dismissed Shira Perlmutter, the nation’s top copyright official, just days after firing Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, marking a significant shake-up at the highest levels of the Library of Congress, Fox News reports.

Perlmutter, who served as the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, was abruptly terminated on Saturday. According to a statement provided to Fox News Digital, she received an email from the White House informing her that her position was “terminated effective immediately.”

Her dismissal comes two days after the firing of Carla Hayden, the first woman and first African American to serve as Librarian of Congress. Both terminations appear to be part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to remove officials seen as out of step with its agenda.

Perlmutter was appointed to lead the Copyright Office in October 2020 by Hayden. Like Perlmutter, Hayden was also informed of her removal via email from the Presidential Personnel Office, reportedly beginning with:

“Carla, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service.”

Perlmutter’s firing comes on the heels of a high-profile Copyright Office report released earlier this year. The report evaluated the legal and ethical implications of allowing artificial intelligence companies to use copyrighted material to train AI systems. This study, launched in 2023, included input from AI developers, artists, and other stakeholders across the creative and tech industries.

In January, Perlmutter outlined the office’s stance, emphasizing that copyright protections hinge on “the centrality of human creativity.” She argued that content generated solely by AI, without meaningful human contribution, should not be eligible for copyright protection.

“Extending protection to material whose expressive elements are determined by a machine… would undermine rather than further the constitutional goals of copyright,” she stated.

The Copyright Office processes roughly half a million copyright applications annually, covering millions of creative works.

Before her role at the Copyright Office, Perlmutter held key policy positions at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and worked extensively on intellectual property law.