Case: AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION v. TRUMP

1:26-cv-01169 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: April 6, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

[This summary is temporary while we research the case.] The American Historical Association and American Oversight filed a lawsuit on April 6, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, various White House officials, the Department of Justice, and the National Archives and Records Administration. The plaintiffs challenged an Office of Legal Counsel opinion issued on April 1, 2026, that declared the Presidenti…

[This summary is temporary while we research the case.]

The American Historical Association and American Oversight filed a lawsuit on April 6, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, various White House officials, the Department of Justice, and the National Archives and Records Administration. The plaintiffs challenged an Office of Legal Counsel opinion issued on April 1, 2026, that declared the Presidential Records Act (PRA) unconstitutional despite the Supreme Court's previous ruling in Nixon v. Administrator of General Services upholding a materially identical law. According to the complaint, the OLC concluded that the Supreme Court "got it wrong" and advised that the President need not comply with the PRA, which would allow the President to destroy or personally retain official records rather than preserving them for the American people. The plaintiffs brought seven counts alleging violations of separation of powers principles, ultra vires actions, and Administrative Procedure Act violations, seeking declarations that the PRA is constitutional, injunctions requiring compliance with the Act, and other relief.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Jinan Abufarha (4/19/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73154145/parties/american-historical-association-v-trump/


Judge(s)

Howell, Beryl Alaine (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Eisenberg, Lynn D. (District of Columbia)

Jacobson, Daniel F. (District of Columbia)

Robinson, John (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Powers, James R. (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

1:26-cv-01169

Complaint

April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73154145/american-historical-association-v-trump/

Last updated April 16, 2026, 3:06 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against PAMELA BONDI, COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC ADVISERS, ROBERT B DOWNING, PHILIP C. DROEGE, EXECUTIVE RESIDENCE, JOSHUA FISHER, ED FORST, AMY GLEASON, HOMELAND SECURITY COUNCIL, CATHERINE KELLER, STEPHEN MILLER, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, DEVIN NUNES, OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT, President's Intelligence Advisory Board, JACOB RESES, THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE, DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UNITED STATES DOGE SERVICE, JAMES DAVID VANCE, SUSAN WILES, Pierre Yared ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-12344563) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT, AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons to Donald Trump, # 3 Summons to James David Vance, # 4 Summons to The White House Office, # 5 Summons to Susan Wiles, # 6 Summons to Philip C. Droege, # 7 Summons to National Security Council, # 8 Summons to Catherine Keller, # 9 Summons to Homeland Security Council, # 10 Summons to Stephen Miller, # 11 Summons to Council on Economic Advisers, # 12 Summons to Pierre Yared, # 13 Summons to Executive Residence, # 14 Summons to Robert B. Downing, # 15 Summons to President's Intelligence Advisory Board, # 16 Summons to Devin Nunes, # 17 Summons to Office of Administration, # 18 Summons to Joshua Fisher, # 19 Summons to Office of the Vice President, # 20 Summons to Jacob Reses, # 21 Summons to United States DOGE Service, # 22 Summons to Pamela Bondi, # 23 Summons to NARA, # 24 Summons to Ed Forst, # 25 Summons to Amy Gleason, # 26 Summons to Department of Justice, # 27 Summons to U.S. Attorney's Office, # 28 Summons to Attorney General)(Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 04/06/2026)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

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2 Summons to Donald Trump

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3 Summons to James David Vance

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4 Summons to The White House Office

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5 Summons to Susan Wiles

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6 Summons to Philip C. Droege

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7 Summons to National Security Council

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8 Summons to Catherine Keller

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9 Summons to Homeland Security Council

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10 Summons to Stephen Miller

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11 Summons to Council on Economic Advisers

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12 Summons to Pierre Yared

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13 Summons to Executive Residence

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14 Summons to Robert B. Downing

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15 Summons to President's Intelligence Advisory Board

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16 Summons to Devin Nunes

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17 Summons to Office of Administration

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18 Summons to Joshua Fisher

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19 Summons to Office of the Vice President

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20 Summons to Jacob Reses

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21 Summons to United States DOGE Service

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22 Summons to Pamela Bondi

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23 Summons to NARA

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24 Summons to Ed Forst

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25 Summons to Amy Gleason

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26 Summons to Department of Justice

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27 Summons to U.S. Attorney's Office

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28 Summons to Attorney General

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April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

Clearinghouse
2

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 04/06/2026)

April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

3

CIVIL COVER SHEET (corrected) by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT, AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION re 1 Complaint,,,,,,, filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT, AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. Related document: 1 Complaint,,,,,,, filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT, AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.(Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 04/06/2026)

April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

4

NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. Case related to Case No. 25-cv-409. (Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 04/06/2026)

April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

RECAP
5

NOTICE of Appearance by Lynn D. Eisenberg on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Eisenberg, Lynn) (Entered: 04/06/2026)

April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

6

SUMMONS (27) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 04/07/2026)

1 Notice and Consent

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April 7, 2026

April 7, 2026

RECAP
7

NOTICE of Appearance by John Robinson on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Robinson, John) (Entered: 04/07/2026)

April 7, 2026

April 7, 2026

8

NOTICE of Appearance by Loree Stark on behalf of AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Stark, Loree) (Entered: 04/07/2026)

April 7, 2026

April 7, 2026

Case Assigned to Judge Beryl A. Howell. (znmw)

April 7, 2026

April 7, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

April 7, 2026

April 7, 2026

9

STANDING ORDER. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on April 8, 2026. (lcbah2) (Entered: 04/08/2026)

April 8, 2026

April 8, 2026

RECAP
10

MOTION to Reassign Case Objection to Plaintiffs' Notice of Related Case by PAMELA BONDI, COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC ADVISERS, ROBERT B. DOWNING, PHILIP C. DROEGE, EXECUTIVE RESIDENCE, JOSHUA FISHER, ED FORST, AMY GLEASON, HOMELAND SECURITY COUNCIL, CATHERINE KELLER, STEPHEN MILLER, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, DEVIN NUNES, OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT'S INTELLIGENCE ADVISORY BOARD, JACOB RESES, DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UNITED STATES DOGE SERVICE, JAMES DAVID VANCE, WHITE HOUSE OFFICE, SUSAN WILES, PIERRE YARED. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Powers, James) (Entered: 04/10/2026)

1 Exhibit A

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April 10, 2026

April 10, 2026

RECAP
11

NOTICE of Appearance by Winston Shi on behalf of All Defendants (Shi, Winston) (Entered: 04/10/2026)

April 10, 2026

April 10, 2026

12

NOTICE of Appearance by John Bailey on behalf of All Defendants (Bailey, John) (Entered: 04/13/2026)

April 13, 2026

April 13, 2026

13

MOTION for Preliminary Injunction, MOTION to Stay under 5 USC 705 by AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Declaration of Daniel F. Jacobson, # 3 Declaration Ex. A (email chain with counsel), # 4 Declaration Ex. B Gov't Br. in Nixon, # 5 Declaration Ex. C (Axios article), # 6 Declaration Ex. D (OLC testimony), # 7 Declaration of Sarah Weicksel, # 8 Declaration of Elizabeth Marx, # 9 Declaration of Matthew Connelly, # 10 Declaration of Timothy J. Naftali, # 11 Declaration of Kathryn Cramer Brownell, # 12 Declaration of Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, # 13 Text of Proposed Order)(Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 04/14/2026)

1 Memorandum in Support

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2 Declaration of Daniel F. Jacobson

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3 Declaration Ex. A (email chain with counsel)

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4 Declaration Ex. B Gov't Br. in Nixon

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5 Declaration Ex. C (Axios article)

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6 Declaration Ex. D (OLC testimony)

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7 Declaration of Sarah Weicksel

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8 Declaration of Elizabeth Marx

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9 Declaration of Matthew Connelly

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10 Declaration of Timothy J. Naftali

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11 Declaration of Kathryn Cramer Brownell

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12 Declaration of Natalia Mehlman Petrzela

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13 Text of Proposed Order

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April 14, 2026

April 14, 2026

.Order

April 14, 2026

April 14, 2026

MINUTE ORDER (paperless), upon consideration of plaintiffs' 13 Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Stay ("Pls.' Mot."), DIRECTING parties to confer and file, by April 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM, a proposed schedule for briefing plaintiffs' Motion. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on April 14, 2026. (lcbah2)

April 14, 2026

April 14, 2026

MINUTE ORDER (paperless), upon consideration of defendants' 10 Objection to Plaintiffs' Notice of Related Case, filed at 5:00 PM on April 10, 2026, DIRECTING plaintiffs to file any response by April 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on April 14, 2026. (lcbah2)

April 14, 2026

April 14, 2026

15

RESPONSE re 10 MOTION to Reassign Case Objection to Plaintiffs' Notice of Related Case filed by AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 04/15/2026)

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

RECAP
16

PROPOSED BRIEFING SCHEDULE Joint Status Report by AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 04/15/2026)

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

RECAP
17

.Order

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

RECAP

Set/Reset Deadlines

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Proposed Briefing Schedule due no later than 2:00PM on 4/15/2026 Plaintiff Response due no later than 2:00PM on 4/15/2026 (mac)

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

Case Details

State / Territory:

District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 6, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-01169

Recommended Citation