None of the past three presidential administrations — Donald Trump’s first term, Joe Biden’s single term and the current Trump White House – have provided complete public access to presidential statements, whether through transcripts or video.
But the release of such information varies significantly, and the three administrations have taken different approaches to public documentation, according to a Roll Call Factba.se analysis of the past 3,046 days of our coverage (and existence), going back to Jan. 20, 2017.
White House stenographers transcribe all presidential statements for the administration to distribute as needed, and they go to the National Archives and Records Administration for future preservation. Each administration’s press office does things differently but their common goal is to provide information to the press and public while presenting the president and his agenda in the best possible light. They’re under no obligation to release everything, and none of the three administrations we’ve covered have approached full coverage.
