These calls would normally amount to little more than a press release. And given the early indications from the DOJ, prosecutors are unlikely to be pursuing charges. But if they did, the punishment accompanying prosecution could be historically significant: Anyone who violates that law is “disqualified from holding any office under the United States.”

It’s a powerful hammer that was used to convict Rear Admiral John Poindexter and Lt. Colonel Oliver North for the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980s. And while criminal charges against Trump may seem far-fetched, Trump critics say this could be used to crush Trump’s dream of returning to the White House in 2025.

“This is almost like low-hanging fruit, and it’s kind of perplexing the Justice Department doesn’t appear to be looking at this. We’ve been sounding the alarm on this for years,” said Nikhel Sus, a senior attorney at CREW. “If you’re sending the message to government officials we don’t take records laws seriously, what incentive do they have to comply with them? It’s encouraging noncompliance.”