Trump is trying to keep call logs and handwritten memos away from Capitol riot investigators
Former President Donald Trump is trying to keep his call records, election-related speech drafts, and handwritten notes under wraps from Capitol riot investigators, the National Archives revealed in a Saturday morning court filing, per Politico.
Trump reportedly wants to keep the records out of the hands of the congressional committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. "The filing details are the clearest indication yet of what Trump is trying to withhold from congressional investigators seeking information about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his activities on the day that a mob of violent Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and disrupted the peaceful transfer of power," writes Politico.
The documents he's hoping to shield reportedly include about 750 pages out of nearly 1,600 requested by investigators. Daily presidential diaries, pages of talking points from former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and files on top aides are all reportedly being withheld. The list also includes handwritten memos from former chief of staff Mark Meadows about Jan. 6, former Vice President Mike Pence's call logs, and White House visitor records.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Investigators want these records to better understand "what was occurring at the White House immediately before, during and after the January 6 attack," said Justice Department attorneys. Trump recently launched a lawsuit to block lawmakers from accessing the documents, but it wasn't previously reported just how many, or which types, of documents he wanted to protect.
The House, the National Archives, and the White House are all largely united in believing that Trump does not have authority to assert executive privilege over the documents, reports CNN.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
The week’s best photosIn Pictures A man's best friend, the elephants in the room, and more
-
A TikTok trend has Gen Z men leaving streetwear behind for more preppy attireThe Explainer More than a zipper: Young Black men embrace the ‘quarter-zip movement‘
-
Codeword: December 12, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
‘The menu’s other highlights smack of the surreal’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Democrat files to impeach RFK Jr.Speed Read Rep. Haley Stevens filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
-
$1M ‘Trump Gold Card’ goes live amid travel rule furorSpeed Read The new gold card visa offers an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for $1 million
-
US seizes oil tanker off VenezuelaSpeed Read The seizure was a significant escalation in the pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
-
Judge orders release of Ghislaine Maxwell recordsSpeed Read The grand jury records from the 2019 prosecution of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be made public
-
Miami elects first Democratic mayor in 28 yearsSpeed Read Eileen Higgins, Miami’s first woman mayor, focused on affordability and Trump’s immigration crackdown in her campaign
-
The Trump administration says it deports dangerous criminals. ICE data tells a different story.IN THE SPOTLIGHT Arrest data points to an inconvenient truth for the White House’s ongoing deportation agenda
-
Ex-FBI agents sue Patel over protest firingspeed read The former FBI agents were fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest for ‘apolitical tactical reasons’
