Audio recordings from interviews conducted for Joe Biden’s 2017 memoir have been released following a court battle, revealing conversations in which the former president discusses documents he believed may have contained classified information and, at times, struggles to recall details during extended conversations.
The recordings were previously reviewed by former Special Counsel Robert Hur during his investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents after he left the vice presidency. The newly released audio has renewed political debate over both Biden’s memory and his handling of sensitive government records.
Supporters and critics have interpreted the recordings differently, and the release has prompted fresh scrutiny from lawmakers and advocacy groups.
What Do the Recordings Show?
Newly released audio recordings from 2017 show former US President Joe Biden appearing confused, losing his train of thought, and discussing classified material while working with his ghostwriter on a memoir. The tapes, made public after a two-year legal battle, were previously reviewed during Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents after leaving office as vice president.
The recordings, totaling about 70 hours, capture Biden’s conversations with writer Mark Zwonitzer as they worked on his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose. They were released to the House Judiciary Committee and the conservative nonprofit Oversight Project after a court order.
“The next thing I have here is, um, this is classified …” Biden says in another snippet.
Audio captures memory lapses and pauses
Throughout the recordings, Biden is heard pausing frequently, searching for words and occasionally forgetting what he intended to say.
In one exchange, he says, “Alright… what was I going to ask you? Something else… Uh… um. Oh gosh. I can’t think of anything else.”
At another point, Biden pauses to review his notes before saying, “Hang on a second,” followed by, “It’s confusing me.”
The Oversight Project argued that the recordings indicate Biden was showing signs of cognitive decline as early as 2017, several years before he became president. The group claimed the tapes reveal both “good days and bad days” regarding his memory.
References to classified information
The audio also contains several discussions involving classified documents.
In one clip, Biden says, “So this was… I early on, um, in ’09 I just found all the classified stuff downstairs.”
He later cautions Zwonitzer, saying, “Some of this may be classified so be careful with it. I’m not sure… It’s not marked classified but…”
In another recording, Biden remarks, “The next thing I have here is… this is classified…”
The former president also described potentially classified White House meetings with Zwonitzer, according to CBS News, which first-reviewed the tapes, including “a big meeting with the CIA and everyone,” “a big meeting down in the Situation Room,” and “a long meeting where DOD brief … POTUS.”
Hur investigation revisited
The recordings were examined during Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s retention of classified documents after he left the vice presidency in 2017.
Hur concluded that Biden had “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials” but decided not to pursue criminal charges. His report stated that Biden would likely present himself to a jury as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
The investigation found that Biden had kept notebooks containing sensitive national security and foreign policy information, some of which he reportedly read nearly word-for-word while working with his ghostwriter.
Oversight Project calls for accountability
The Oversight Project argued that the newly released recordings show more extensive disclosures of classified information than previously understood.
The organization said multiple sections of the tapes were redacted because they allegedly contained classified material and claimed Biden repeatedly discussed sensitive information with someone not authorized to possess it.
Jeff Clark, vice president of the Oversight Project, said the recordings raise serious concerns about Biden’s handling of classified information and renewed calls for accountability.
The release of the audio has reignited political debate over Biden’s memory, his handling of classified documents and the Justice Department’s decision not to bring criminal charges following the investigation.
The Bottom Line
Newly released recordings from Joe Biden’s 2017 memoir interviews show him discussing documents he believed might contain classified information and include moments where he pauses or searches for words during conversation. The recordings formed part of former Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation, which concluded without criminal charges. Their release has reignited political debate over Biden’s handling of sensitive records and renewed discussion about his public demeanor, while supporters and critics continue to interpret the audio differently.
TL;DR
- Audio recordings from Joe Biden’s 2017 memoir interviews have been made public following litigation.
- The recordings include Biden discussing documents he believed might contain classified information.
- The audio was previously reviewed during former Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation.
- Conservative watchdog group Oversight Project argues the recordings raise additional concerns about Biden’s memory and handling of sensitive information.
- Biden has not publicly responded to the latest release at the time of publication.