President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to replace the head of the National Archives, bringing the agency into the political spotlight once again. This decision follows the agency's involvement in alerting the Department of Justice about potential issues with Trump's handling of classified documents, leading to a federal investigation and subsequent indictment.
The current archivist, Colleen Shogan, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, was not in office during the events that triggered the investigation. David Ferriero, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, announced his retirement in January 2022.
Trump's promise to appoint a new archivist is within his presidential authority, as the national archivist can be removed by the president and replaced with Senate confirmation. Trump's pledge to dismantle the 'deep state' – a term he uses to describe elements within the federal government that he perceives as obstructive – underscores his broader agenda.
Following Trump's departure from office, the National Archives discovered missing documents from its collection and requested their return. The subsequent indictment alleged that Trump withheld some documents, leading to charges including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and false statements. Trump pleaded not guilty, and the case was dropped after his reelection victory, in line with Justice Department policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.
