Federal Judge Orders White House to Comply With Presidential Records Act

The judge rejected a Justice Department legal opinion that deemed the act unconstitutional.

The White House in Washington on Nov. 17, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

A federal judge on May 20 ordered Trump administration officials to comply with a federal law requiring the preservation of presidential records.

Washington-based U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ruled that a legal opinion by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) within the Department of Justice (DOJ) that stated that the law was unconstitutional was likely invalid.