A dispute has arisen over the preservation of Donald Trump's direct messages from his first presidential term after the Trump Presidential Library stated that it could not locate any records of direct messages sent from Trump's @realDonaldTrump or @POTUS Twitter accounts.

The response was issued following a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by The Washington Post on January 20, 2025, exactly five years after the conclusion of Trump's first administration.According to the library, no responsive records were found despite Trump's extensive use of Twitter during his presidency.The claim appears to conflict with evidence previously presented in federal court.During Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S.Capitol, Twitter provided authorities with at least 32 direct messages associated with Trump's account from late 2020 through early 2021.Court filings also indicated that confidential communications existed within the account.

The discrepancy has renewed attention on the Presidential Records Act, which requires presidents to preserve and transfer official communications to the National Archives.The law covers communications conducted through social media platforms and other digital applications.

Reports indicate that although the government planned to archive presidential social media activity using ArchiveSocial software, the Trump administration chose not to activate the feature that would have preserved direct messages.The issue comes amid broader legal disputes regarding the scope and constitutionality of the Presidential Records Act.

In 2026, the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel argued that portions of the law are unconstitutional, while ongoing litigation has challenged administration policies related to records retention.The Washington Post has appealed the library's response and requested an additional search for the missing records.