National Archives calls Justice Department in about Donald Trump

Fifteen boxes of White House documents have been retrieved by the agency from the former president’s Florida estate.

Donald Trump had a habit of ripping up work documents and a number of records had needed to be taped back together. Picture: AFP

The US National Archives, which manages the preservation of presidential documents, requested that the Justice Department investigate former president Donald Trump for his handling of official documents, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.

In the past few weeks, new ­information has come to light about Mr Trump’s improper handling of official documents. On Monday, the archives confirmed it had recovered 15 boxes of documents from his Florida ­estate that he had taken with him when he left Washington.

Among the documents were official correspondence with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, as well as a letter outgoing president Barack Obama had left for Mr Trump in the Oval Office.

Discussions on the matter with the Justice Department were preliminary, the Post said, citing two sources, and it was not evident whether the department would act on the request.

Under the 1978 Presidential Records Act, which was passed in the wake of the Watergate scandal, US presidents are required to transfer all of their emails, letters and other work documents to the National Archives.

Last week, the agency also confirmed that Mr Trump had a habit of ripping up work documents, which the PRA prohibits, and that a number of records had needed to be taped back together.

Mr Trump has had an ongoing feud with the National Archives, which he unsuccessfully sued to try to prevent the transfer of White House records to a congressional committee investigating the January 6, 2021, riot on the US Capitol.

AFP