Republican Sen. John Thune says Trump shouldn't have torn up White House documents, says 'nobody should be exempt' from records laws
- John Thune says Trump should be held to "the same standards as all former presidents" when it comes to records laws.
- Trump has reportedly stashed away records and tore up others. Both actions would appear to be violations of the law.
Sen. John Thune, the second-highest ranking Senate Republican, expressed frustration on Tuesday with former President Donald Trump's reported repeated disregard for the Presidential Records Act, including his habit of ripping up documents.
"He should be held to the same standards as all former presidents," Thune told CNN, adding that "nobody should be exempt" from the law's requirements.
Thune's comments come after the National Archives confirmed multiple reports that their officials have needed to both repair and retrieve White House documents that Trump should have turned over completely intact.
The National Archives has said that was forced to collect 15 boxes worth of records and memorabilia from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump's correspondence with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and the infamously doctored image of Hurricane Dorian's path were among the items that he belatedly turned over, The Washington Post and New York Times both reported.
Federal officials have also confirmed that they turned over taped-up documents to the House January 6 Committee, confirming Trump's previously reported habit of tearing up documents.
The Presidential Records Act requires sitting presidents and their staff to work to preserve records that are the property of the American people. But as The Post reported, the law does not have many teeth for presidents who fail to comply with the law.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the Democratic chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee, said she wants to investigate Trump's possible violations of records law.
Thune, who is running for reelection this November, is a top party official and could one day become Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's successor as the top GOP senator.