Politico: Trump administration plans possible release of Biden’s interview audio

The Trump administration is considering making public the audio of former President Joe Biden’s interview with Robert Hur, the special counsel who investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents and raised concerns about his mental acuity.

This move has been discussed among top Trump officials, according to two Republicans briefed on the matter, Caliber.Az reports, citing Politico.

Details of the release plan remain uncertain, and it is unclear whether Trump and his advisers have finalised a decision to make the audio public.

Biden’s camp is preparing for the potential release of the recording, according to two people familiar with the former president’s preparations, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

A key deadline is approaching on May 20. In response to separate Freedom of Information Act lawsuits filed by conservative groups such as Judicial Watch and the Heritage Foundation, as well as various news organisations, the Justice Department is required by a judge to determine whether it will uphold Biden’s claim of executive privilege to block the release of the tapes. Last May, Biden and his Justice Department argued that releasing the tapes could have a chilling effect on witnesses cooperating in high-profile investigations.

DOJ officials will also need to clarify whether they will continue to assert other arguments to keep the audio sealed, such as concerns over privacy invasion and potential interference with future investigations that could discourage high-level officials from cooperating.

The White House declined to comment on the matter.

The recordings, which Hur previously described as revealing Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” have been a focal point for Trump’s Republican allies. "The Hur audio will confirm what is one of the biggest cover-ups in American history," Mike Davis, a key Trump ally and occasional adviser, told Politico.

While some Republican members of Congress have expressed uncertainty about the release plans, the House Judiciary Committee filed a lawsuit last year to obtain the tapes, though the case has seen little action since Trump’s inauguration. While transcripts of the interview have been made available, the audio remains a point of significant controversy.

Hur's report, issued last year, concluded that no criminal charges would be brought against Biden for his handling of classified documents. Biden maintained at the time that he had not broken any laws and assured the public that his “memory is fine.”

By Khagan Isayev