Judge orders White House staff to comply with presidential records law
A federal judge has ordered White House staff to comply with the Presidential Records Act, which mandates the preservation of certain presidential records. The ruling comes after a Justice Department opinion deemed the Act unconstitutional, a claim the judge rejected. The injunction will take effect on May 26 and applies to most White House employees, excluding President Trump and Vice President Vance.
- ▪U.S. District Judge John Bates granted a preliminary injunction requiring White House staff to preserve presidential records.
- ▪The Presidential Records Act was enacted in 1978 following the Watergate scandal to ensure public ownership of presidential records.
- ▪The judge's decision contradicts a Justice Department opinion that claimed the Act is unconstitutional.
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Politics Judge orders White House staff to comply with presidential records law that DOJ calls unconstitutional By Melissa Quinn, Melissa Quinn Senior Reporter, Politics Melissa Quinn is a senior reporter for CBSNews.com, where she covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Read Full Bio Melissa Quinn, Jacob Rosen Jacob Rosen Justice Department Reporter Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump's 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Read Full Bio Jacob Rosen May 20, 2026 / 3:27 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — A federal judge on Wednesday ordered White House staff and President Trump's…
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