President Trump Fires Top Copyright Official
The Trump administration has dismissed Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, effective immediately. The termination, delivered via email from the White House, follows the recent removal of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, whom Perlmutter had succeeded in the Copyright Office role after her appointment in October 2020.
Both officials were notified by email. The message to Hayden stated: “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.” A similar communication was sent to Perlmutter.
The moves are part of the administration’s broader effort to reshape leadership across agencies and institutions perceived as resistant to the president’s policy priorities. The U.S. Copyright Office, housed within the Library of Congress, oversees intellectual property registration, policy recommendations, and administration of copyright law.
The dismissals have drawn attention amid ongoing debates over executive authority, agency independence, and personnel decisions in the early months of the new administration. Critics have described the actions as politicizing traditionally nonpartisan institutions, while supporters argue they represent necessary accountability and alignment with the president’s agenda.
Separately, federal prosecutors announced charges against a former U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employee, Yusuf Akoll, who allegedly created a fictitious company to fraudulently obtain approximately $16,666 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to court documents, Akoll registered Naagode Consulting LLC in Virginia in November 2020 and falsely claimed the business had been operational since January 2020 with $40,000 in 2019 revenue, despite having no actual income or operations at the time.
The case highlights documented weaknesses in pandemic-era relief distribution, which relied on a “pay and chase” model that prioritized rapid disbursement over upfront verification. USAID, which faced Republican criticism for financial oversight issues, was later shut down with remaining functions absorbed into the State Department. The Department of Government Efficiency has cited such cases as examples of waste the administration seeks to address.
The firings of Hayden and Perlmutter, combined with the fraud prosecution, underscore the Trump administration’s focus on personnel changes and accountability in federal agencies. Whether additional dismissals or structural reforms follow remains to be seen as the administration continues to implement its governance priorities.
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