Overview
- A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on Wednesday that found the Presidential Records Act likely constitutional and directed most White House employees to preserve presidential and vice‑presidential records.
- The order, which was issued by U.S. District Judge John Bates, explicitly covers text messages and ephemeral apps such as Signal and applies to senior aides, NSC and Executive Office of the President staff.
- Bates rejected the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel opinion that had called the PRA unconstitutional and criticized that memo as a misreading of precedent.
- The injunction does not directly bind President Donald Trump or Vice President J.D. Vance and takes effect May 26, leaving a short window for the administration to seek appeal or further review.
- The ruling restores rules created after Watergate that make presidential records public property and raises practical and historical stakes for archivists, historians and oversight groups worried about rapid loss of official communications.