Overview

• President Trump fired Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights, just two days after dismissing Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
• The firing comes shortly after the Copyright Office released a report raising concerns about AI companies using copyrighted works for training data, questioning its compliance with fair use.
• Democratic lawmakers, led by Rep. Joe Morelle, condemned the move as an unprecedented power grab, alleging it was linked to Perlmutter’s refusal to support Elon Musk’s AI data-mining efforts.
• Under federal law, the Register of Copyrights is appointed by and reports to the Librarian of Congress, a Senate-confirmed position, raising questions about the legality of Perlmutter’s dismissal.
• The White House has not provided an explanation for the firings, prompting fears over the future of copyright policy and institutional independence.