by Audio of Biden’s Classified Docs Interview With Special Counsel Robert Hur Released
Audio from President Joe Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur—conducted during the now-closed investigation into his handling of classified documents—has been published by Axios.
The recording is drawing renewed attention because Hur’s report sparked political controversy earlier this year. While he ultimately decided not to charge Biden with mishandling records, Hur described the president, who was 81 at the time, as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
Although transcripts of the interview were released last year, this is the first time audio clips have been made public. The Department of Justice has confirmed to CNN that the recordings are authentic.
Biden spokesperson Kelly Scully downplayed the impact of the release, telling CNN, “The transcripts were released more than a year ago. The audio simply confirms what’s already known.”
Still, the release adds fuel to ongoing discussions about Biden’s age and mental sharpness. These concerns are also addressed in an upcoming book titled Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson.
Key Moments From the Audio
In fall 2023, Biden sat with Hur for five hours over two days as part of the investigation. One audio clip, nearly 4.5 minutes long, features Biden struggling to answer where he kept papers he worked on after leaving the vice presidency in 2017. He paused for a long time, replied “I don’t know,” and then shifted to unrelated topics—like being encouraged to run for president in 2016.
At another point, Biden appeared confused about when his son Beau died, asking, “What month did Beau die?” before pausing. Others in the room helped him recall the date: May 30, 2015.
In another clip, when asked if he knowingly kept a memo about Afghanistan, Biden responded, “I don’t know that I knew.” He later added, “I guess I wanted to hang onto it just for posterity’s sake.” A member of his legal team quickly stepped in to clarify that Biden didn’t recall any specific intent to retain the document.
Political Fallout and Legal Back-and-Forth
Although Hur declined to bring charges, his comments about Biden’s memory caused a bigger stir than the classified documents themselves. Biden and his allies slammed the portrayal as misleading and unfair, especially the reference to his son Beau’s death.
House Republicans, in their now-fizzled impeachment probe, demanded full access to the interview recordings. The Justice Department released the transcripts but withheld the audio, citing executive privilege. Republicans voted to hold then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for not releasing the tapes, but the DOJ did not pursue charges.
Trump and 2028 Democrats Respond
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the audio while in Abu Dhabi, saying whether the audio should be released is up to Attorney General Pam Bondi’s team. He took the opportunity to jab at Biden’s age, claiming, “Everybody understands the condition of him… I know people in their 90s who are sharp—Joe is not one of them.”
The audio and the book’s claims have raised new questions for top Democrats, especially those eyeing the 2028 race. As the party looks to shift focus away from the 2024 election and toward pushing back on Trump, the timing is challenging.
Biden’s team strongly rejected the idea that he’s no longer capable of leading. A spokesperson told CNN, “We’ve seen no evidence that Biden couldn’t make presidential decisions, that national security was ever at risk, or that he failed in his role. In fact, all signs show he was a highly effective president.”
Last week, in an interview on The View, Biden, now 82, pushed back on suggestions of cognitive decline.
“They are wrong,” he said. “There is nothing to support that claim.”
