What to know about claims Trump sought to move original Declaration of Independence to Oval Office
In early March 2025, claims emerged that U.S. President Donald Trump asked advisers about moving the original copy of the Declaration of Independence from its permanent exhibit in the National Archives to the White House's Oval Office.
The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States, in which the original thirteen colonies declared themselves a sovereign nation separate from the rule of Great Britain's King George III. The Continental Congress, which governed the colonies during the American Revolution, ratified the document on July 4, 1776.
Internet users discussed the claim in various Reddit threads and on social media platforms like TikTok (archived), Instagram (archived), Facebook (archived) and Threads (archived).
Trump Tried to Seize Original Declaration of Independence for Oval Officebyu/Majano57 inuspolitics
Some users jokingly compared Trump's request to the 2004 film "National Treasure," in which Nicolas Cage's character enacted a plan to steal the Declaration of Independence from the National Archives.
The claim that Trump sought to move the original Declaration of Independence to the Oval Office originated from an article in The Atlantic, which reported that the information came from "people familiar with the conversations who requested anonymity to describe the planning." The article also noted that Trump had since backed down from his request to move the original document, and that "subsequent discussions appear to have focused on the possibility of moving one of the historical copies of the document."
Snopes has not yet been able to independently verify these claims. Neither the White House nor the National Archives immediately responded to our inquiries about Trump asking to move the document. This article will be updated should we receive a response.
The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., has displayed the original documents of America's "Charters of Freedom" — the Declaration of Independence in addition to the original copies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights — since 1952. Due to deterioration of the helium-filled encasements, starting in 2001 the exhibit underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation to upgrade the protective encasements and make the attraction more accessible to visitors with disabilities. The Rotunda reopened to the public following the completion of the project in 2003.
According to a National Archives factsheet from the time of the renovations, the new argon-filled encasements offered increased protection for the documents as well as easier access for conservators:
The design for the new encasements will allow conservators to open and reseal the cases — if it's ever necessary — to examine the documents or modify the interior components. The documents will be mounted so that glass never touches parchment. Ultra-smooth surfaces, new space age gaskets and the use of argon gas, rather than helium, will prevent leakage. The new design allows for flexibility to incorporate future conservation techniques as they are developed.
As The Atlantic pointed out, moving the original documents would be impractical both logistically and financially, especially for an administration whose primary platform has been the elimination of excessive spending in government. White House aides recognized this impracticality, according to The Atlantic article, which read in part:
Trump's request alarmed some of his aides, who immediately recognized both the implausibility and the expense of moving the original document. Displayed in the rotunda at the National Archives Building, in Washington, D.C., it is perhaps the most treasured historical document in the U.S. government's possession. The original is behind heavy glass in an oxygen-free, argon-filled case that can retract into the wall at night for security. Because of light damage to the faded animal-skin parchment, the room is kept dimly lit; restrictions have been placed on how often the doors can even be opened.
We previously looked into the claim that the U.S. National Archives Records Association introduced a "Harmful Language Alert" to accompany some historical documents on its website, including the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
Dapcevich, Madison. "Did National Archives Put 'Harmful Language' Alert on US Constitution?" Snopes, 10 Sept. 2021, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/national-archives-us-constitution/.
Parker, Ashley, and Michael Scherer. "Trump's Own Declaration of Independence." The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2025, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trumps-own-declaration-of-independence/681944/.
"Press Kits: Charters of Freedom Re-Encasement Project." National Archives, 15 Aug. 2016, https://www.archives.gov/press/press-kits/charters.html.
"Trump Asked 'Alarmed' Aides for the Original Declaration of Independence to Be Moved to the Oval Office." Yahoo News, 7 Mar. 2025, https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-asked-alarmed-aides-original-182433292.html.
U.S. Documents Again On Display - CBS News. 16 Sept. 2003, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-documents-again-on-display/.
Wolf, Zachary B. "Trump's Plan for Government: 'Maximum' Cuts He Can Get Away with | CNN Politics." CNN, 6 Mar. 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/06/politics/doge-government-cuts-plan/index.html.
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