Presidential Records
Presidential records are the documents, messages, and files created by a president and the White House staff while in office. The topic covers how they are kept, who owns them, when the public may see them, and how they pass to the National Archives and Records Administration. Presidents, archivists, Congress, and the courts all have roles in protecting and releasing them.
People usually ask what counts as a presidential record and what a president must save. They want to know when the public can ask to see these papers, why some stay closed for a time, how electronic messages and social media are treated, and how this system differs from ordinary agency records requests.
An independent team explaining how government works
Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
All Articles on Presidential Records
Presidential Records Act Governs Social Media—Here’s What It Requires
A legal question with no clear answer has emerged regarding presidential social media deletions and record preservation requirements. The Presidential Records Act says that…
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Executive Privilege
In democratic government, there are two fundamental yet sometimes conflicting interests: the public's inherent right to understand the workings of its government and the…
How to Access the Declassified JFK Assassination Records
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, remains one of the most intensely scrutinized events in American history. For decades,…