Judge John Bates orders the White House to keep preserving records under the Presidential Records Act

U.S. District Judge John Bates issued a 54-page preliminary injunction on May 20, 2026, ordering most White House staff — including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief Stephen Miller, and the NSC — to continue preserving records under the Presidential Records Act. Bates found the 1978 law likely constitutional under Congress's Property Clause authority and rejected the Trump DOJ's separation-of-powers argument. The injunction took effect May 26, 2026, and exempted President Trump and Vice President Vance from its reach.