When President Trump took office, few intellectual property practitioners knew what that meant for U.S. IP policy. IP concerns were not an issue during his presidential campaign, and his public statements on IP before running for office were sparse. Post-election, many practitioners looked to his statements on trade and his personal track record with protecting his own brand to try to glean his potential positions on IP.
Although Trump has continued to say little that might foreshadow his positions on IP protection, his actions in his first 100 days since taking office have been somewhat revealing. They indicate that his administration may seek to promote patent enforcement over antitrust issues, encourage review of administrative agency decisions such as from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and take a more active role concerning copyright issues. Collectively, Trump’s early actions have laid the foundation for significant changes to intellectual property law and policy.
