The Trump administration's recent actions have raised concerns about accountability and the potential erasure of history. The publication of a 52-page legal opinion declaring the 1978 Presidential Records Act unconstitutional, authored by a jurist involved in overturning the 2020 election, is a troubling development. This opinion suggests that Trump is free to destroy evidence of wrongdoing, which is a significant blow to the public's right to accountability. The administration's plans for a waterfront skyscraper in Miami, dubbed a 'presidential library', also raise questions about transparency and the preservation of history. Trump's indifference to archiving and his past actions, such as taking documents from the White House to Florida, further emphasize his lack of commitment to preserving records. The firing of the archivist of the United States and the appointment of a former Nixon Foundation president to the role are particularly concerning. The administration's boasts about transparency are seen as disingenuous, as they prioritize impunity and the erasure of history, especially for those involved in illegal activities. The pardoning of January 6 insurrectionists and the removal of those who established facts about them from the FBI and Department of Justice are examples of this. The administration's actions prioritize retribution over accountability, and the lack of a presidential library or proper exhibition raises questions about the accomplishments to be showcased. The potential for pardons for all lackeys further highlights the administration's desire to avoid accountability. To counter this, Democrats can push for record-keeping and shame those scrubbing websites and historical explanations. They can also consider designing a truth commission, as seen in the January 6 commission's successful questioning of witnesses and production of videos. The pardon power, granted to the president by the founders, is a concern, and while lawsuits over corrupt pardons are possible, the Supreme Court's decision granting the president virtually total immunity makes this a non-starter. A constitutional amendment is unlikely, but it should be considered as part of the post-Trump era's political system reconstruction. The author, Jan-Werner Müller, emphasizes the importance of preserving history and accountability, and the need for strategies to counter politically motivated amnesia.
