National Archives asks former presidents, VPs to 'conduct an assessment' of records for classified documents

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requested that all former presidents and vice presidents since Ronald Reagan’s administration double-check their personal records for classified documents, CNN reports. The request comes after the discovery of classified documents in the private homes and offices of President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and, most recently, former Vice President Mike Pence.

The formal letter distributed to representatives for past presidents and vice presidents covered by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) asks that the current and former leaders ensure any documents mistaken for personal materials do not “inadvertently” involve classified documents “that are required by law to be turned over to the Archives.”

According to CNN, former president Jimmy Carter is not “technically” covered by the Act, as it was not implemented until his departure from office.

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Spokespersons for former Presidents Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, and former Vice Presidents Pence, Biden, Dick Cheney, Al Gore and Dan Quayle all received the letter.

It reads:

“The responsibility to comply with the PRA does not diminish after the end of an administration. Therefore, we request that you conduct an assessment of any materials held outside of NARA that relate to the Administration for which you serve as a designated representative under the PRA, to determine whether bodies of materials previously assumed to be personal in nature might inadvertently contain Presidential or Vice Presidential records subject to the PRA, whether classified or unclassified.”

The letter also states that “while much of the attention of these instances has focused on the classified information, the PRA requires that all Presidential records of every Administration from Reagan onward must be transferred to NARA, regardless of classification status.”

Representatives for past presidents confirmed to CNN that there are no classified documents in their homes, while representatives for former Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama and the late George H.W. Bush contend all classified documents were submitted to the National Archives.

Sources for Quayle, Cheney and Gore all confirm their documents were turned over to the Archives.

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