A deposition by a former White House valet before the January 6 House committee has shed new light on former President Donald Trump’s reported habit of erasing documents, which could be in violation of the Presidential Records Act. The act requires that presidential documents be preserved as part of the national archive. Trump, already confronting a myriad of legal issues including charges relating to the possession of presidential records at his Mar-a-Lago resort, is now under greater scrutiny for his handling of documents while in power.
In the June 10, 2022, highly redacted deposition of the valet, he described how Trump would normally shred documents, newspapers, and photos after reading or looking at them and then dispose of them on the floor. The testimony of the valet supports earlier raised alarms for the preservation of official records while under Trump’s stewardship.
The testimony gives a glimpse into daily life within the Oval Office of Trump, such as his disposition towards White House lawyers and other employees. The valet himself did not personally remember Trump tearing up any documents on January 6, 2021, the day of the U.S. Capitol riot, but his overall testimony regarding Trump’s tendency to tear up papers is noteworthy in the light of active investigations.
Adding to the uncertainty of the case, independent investigations are examining Trump’s handling of post-presidency classified documents. In August 2022, a raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort by federal authorities resulted in the recovery of numerous classified documents. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied any wrongdoing, calling the charges politically motivated.
Additionally, the final report from the January 6 committee and the investigation as a whole have been focused on Trump’s activities both before and during the day of the storming of the Capitol. This involves investigating if Trump was involved in any way with the inciting of the riot that attempted to prevent the certification of the presidential election win by Joe Biden. Following the committee’s report, Special Counsel Jack Smith launched an investigation into Trump for potential election interference, and the former president was indicted on four felony charges.
The newly released testimony provides another layer to Trump’s court cases and brings into question the level of document destruction throughout his presidency. With many of the pages in the testimony redacted, a definitive impression is given that some information is still hidden from public view. While the congressional January 6 committee ended its 18-month probe with over 1,000 witnesses interviewed, the spotlight on Trump’s reported document-destruction habits could have far-reaching implications for the former president as he continues to fight his legal defenses.
