Congress Questions USPTO on PTAB Reforms and Trump Ties

A House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing pressured USPTO Director John Squires on proposed PTAB rule changes, concerns about centralized decision-making, and President Trump’s influence (including two trademark filings for “Board of Peace”). Lawmakers urged transparency and fairness in IPR/related processes, debated how the AIA should work in practice, and pressed for reforms while Squires defended a ‘gang-tackling’ approach to validity challenges, touted AI tools to reduce backlogs, and signaled revival of PPAC alongside other policy shifts like dropping a value-based patent tax.