13. Trump Was Allowed to Keep Presidential Records Under the Presidential Records Act
Trump has repeatedly claimed that he was legally entitled to keep presidential records at his Mar-a-Lago residence after leaving office, citing the Presidential Records Act. This assertion is misleading and inaccurate. The Presidential Records Act clearly states that all presidential records, whether classified or unclassified, belong to the U.S. government once a president leaves office. The law mandates that these records be transferred to the National Archives for safekeeping. Trump’s claim that he had the right to possess these documents was contradicted by legal experts, including former officials of the National Archives. The fact that he retained numerous classified and official documents at his personal property — despite the law requiring their proper storage and handling — led to an FBI investigation.
Trump’s justification for keeping these materials is an attempt to misinterpret the law, which is designed to preserve presidential records for public access and historical record, not for private use. The legal dispute over these records underscores the importance of adherence to the law, and Trump’s claims about the Presidential Records Act have been widely debunked by experts and authorities.