Appeals Court to Decide Whether White House Documents Belong to the Public

On Friday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard the Trump administration’s argument that documents produced in the White House are the personal property of Donald Trump rather than public records. The government contends the 1978 Presidential Records Act violates the separation of powers and burdens presidential advisers. The challenge follows a Justice Department effort to invalidate the law and comes after the former president’s indictment over classified materials at Mar-a-Lago. watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, represented by Nikhel Sus, warned that accepting the claim would deny the public and historians access to presidential papers.

Earlier, Judge John Bates ruled against the administration, invoking Orwell’s warning about control of history. Former National Security Council adviser John Bellinger emphasized that access to former presidents’ records is vital for continuity of government.