Donald Trump’s abrupt firing of the head of the U.S. Copyright Office has generated confusion and doubt over his ability to terminate her, and also speculation about the role that a long-awaited report on AI may have played in his action.

President Donald Trump fired the Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter, on Sunday. Perlmutter was appointed by the former Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, in 2020. In the days before this most recent firing,

In a statement provided to Mashable, a spokesperson with the U.S. Copyright Office provided only this brief comment: “On Saturday afternoon, May 10, 2025, the White House sent an email to Shira Perlmutter saying your position as the Register of Copyrights and Director at the U.S. Copyright Office is terminated effective immediately.’”