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Gone quiet · last update Sep 21, 2026 / Joe Biden

Biden's classified documents and special counsel Robert Hur's report

Overview · reviewed October 24, 2026

Classified documents from Joe Biden's time as vice president were found at his former Washington office and his Delaware home, leading Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel, Robert Hur, in January 2023.[1][2] Hur concluded in February 2024 that Biden had willfully retained and disclosed classified information but would not face charges, and his description of Biden as an "elderly man with a poor memory" set off a fight over the president's age and the investigation's recordings.[3][4][5] That fight continued into 2026, when a judge denied Biden's bid to block the release of his recorded interviews with a memoir ghostwriter.[6]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

Hur concluded in February 2024 that Biden had willfully retained and disclosed classified information but would not face charges, and his description of Biden as an "elderly man with a poor memory" set off a fight over the president's age and the investigation's recordings.[3][4][5] That fight continued into 2026, when a judge denied Biden's bid to block the release of his recorded interviews with a memoir ghostwriter.[6]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · monthly average of weekly shares (UTC)

Jan 2023: average weekly share 38% (left 12%, center 16%, right 11%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2023: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2023: average weekly share under 1% (left under 1%, center 0%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2023: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2024: average weekly share 13% (left 4%, center 6%, right 4%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2024: average weekly share 8% (left 2%, center 3%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2024: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksMay 2024: average weekly share 6% (left 2%, center 3%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2024: average weekly share 7% (left 2%, center 3%, right 2%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2024: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2026: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2026: average weekly share under 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2026: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 2%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2026: average weekly share under 1% (left 0%, center 0%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 2 of 2 weeks, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. Over more than two years each bar is a month: the average of that month's weekly shares, so the shape stays readable. The weekly table below keeps every week. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 8 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (20 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Sep 21, 20260044 of 4791%
Jul 20, 20267341152 of 5629%
Jun 15, 20262125 of 2342%
May 25, 20261014933 of 18518%
Jul 1, 2024612422 of 21310%
Jun 10, 202421271967 of 24727%
May 13, 202416261153 of 21625%
Apr 8, 2024481022 of 2648%
Mar 25, 202412710 of 2454%
Mar 11, 202423261968 of 24328%
Feb 26, 20241438 of 2563%
Feb 12, 202425714 of 2426%
Feb 5, 2024354525105 of 24243%
Oct 9, 202316231150 of 23721%
Aug 7, 20231045 of 2592%
Feb 13, 2023514928 of 18115%
Jan 30, 202318301866 of 19035%
Jan 23, 20231081230 of 19316%
Jan 16, 202325372082 of 18844%
Jan 9, 2023364534115 of 19858%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Sep 21, 2026 · first reported · Headline from Revolver News

    Classified Doc Exclusive: Photos Show FBI Treated Biden With ‘Kid Gloves’…

Background

The documents came to light in stages. In January 2023, the White House said the Justice Department was reviewing potentially classified documents found in the office space of Biden's former institute in Washington, the Penn Biden Center,[7] which the FBI had searched in November,[8] and more were found at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.[9] The White House defended its delayed disclosures, saying it was protecting the Justice Department's investigation,[10] while Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat, said national security might have been put at risk.[11] Garland appointed Hur, a former US attorney in Maryland, as special counsel,[2] and the FBI found additional classified material in a search of the Wilmington home.[12] A search of his Rehoboth Beach vacation home in February found no classified documents.[13] Biden said there was "no there there."[14] He sat for a voluntary interview with Hur in October 2023.[15]

Read the full background (3 more paragraphs)

Hur's report, released in February 2024, concluded that Biden had willfully retained and disclosed classified military and national security information but would not face charges, and it described him as an "elderly man with a poor memory."[3] It said Biden could not recall when his son Beau died, which Biden forcefully rejected,[4] and Vice President Kamala Harris called the report's remarks on his memory "gratuitous" and "politically motivated."[16] Biden also said his case was nothing like the classified documents case against Donald Trump.[3]

The fight then moved to Congress. At a tense House Judiciary Committee hearing in March, Hur said he had not sanitized his findings or unfairly disparaged Biden, and he drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.[17] A transcript released that month showed that their exchange about Beau's death was more complicated.[18] After Biden asserted executive privilege, a president's power to withhold some information from Congress, over the recordings of his interview, House Republicans voted to hold Garland in contempt of Congress.[19][20] The Justice Department declined to prosecute him,[21] and Republicans sued for the audio.[5] House Republicans conducting their impeachment inquiry also subpoenaed the Justice Department for records of the investigation,[22] an inquiry followed in a separate arc.

The dispute over the investigation's records continued after Biden left office. In May 2026, Biden sued to block the release of recordings of his interviews with a memoir ghostwriter that the special counsel had obtained.[23] A judge denied his bid in June, and he dropped the suit in July.[6][24] In September, a conservative group, the Oversight Project, published FBI photos that it said showed Biden had been treated more gently than Trump in their classified documents cases.[25]

Supporting stories (25)
  1. Here's what we know about the classified documents found at Biden's home and office
  2. Garland appoints special counsel to investigate Biden docs
  3. Biden angrily pushes back at special counsel’s report that questioned his memory, handling of docs
  4. Biden slams special counsel Hur for raising son Beau’s death
  5. House Republicans sue Garland over access to Biden special counsel interview audio
  6. Judge denies Biden's bid to block release of transcripts linked to special counsel inquiry
  7. DOJ reviewing potentially classified docs at Biden center
  8. AP source: FBI searched Biden's former office in November
  9. More classified documents have been found at Biden's residence
  10. White House defends its delayed disclosure of classified docs found in Biden's home
  11. Top Democrat Adam Schiff criticizes Biden, saying mishandled classified documents may have been a security risk
  12. FBI finds additional classified documents at Biden’s Delaware home
  13. FBI searches Biden's vacation home; no classified documents
  14. Biden on classified docs discovery: 'There's no there there'
  15. Biden interviewed as part of special counsel investigation into handling of classified documents
  16. Harris calls special counsel’s comments on Biden’s memory ‘gratuitous’ and ‘politically motivated’
  17. Special counsel Hur testifies about his Biden documents investigation
  18. Hur said Biden couldn’t recall when his son died. The interview transcript is more complicated.
  19. White House Blocks Biden's Special Counsel Interview Release
  20. House GOP votes to hold AG Garland in contempt of Congress
  21. Justice Department won't prosecute Garland for contempt, says refusal to provide audio wasn't crime
  22. House GOP chairs subpoena Justice Department for information related to Biden documents investigation
  23. Biden sues DOJ to stop release of audio, transcripts tied to probe
  24. Biden drops lawsuit seeking to block release of recordings of his interviews with a ghostwriter
  25. Classified Doc Exclusive: Photos Show FBI Treated Biden With ‘Kid Gloves’…

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 53 recorded updates

September 2026

  1. Classified Doc Exclusive: Photos Show FBI Treated Biden With ‘Kid Gloves’…Headline from Revolver News · 4 outlets

July 2026

  1. Biden drops lawsuit seeking to block release of recordings of his interviews with a ghostwriterHeadline from WKBN Youngstown · 52 outlets

June 2026

  1. Judge denies Biden's bid to block release of transcripts linked to special counsel inquiryHeadline from WFMZ Allentown · 5 outlets

May 2026

  1. Biden sues DOJ to stop release of audio, transcripts tied to probeHeadline from Seattle Times · 33 outlets

June 2024

  1. House Republicans sue Garland over access to Biden special counsel interview audioHeadline from Sioux City Journal · 21 outlets
  2. Speaker Johnson says House will go to court for Biden audio after Justice Dept. refused to prosecuteHeadline from MyNorthwest · 11 outlets
  3. Justice Department won't prosecute Garland for contempt, says refusal to provide audio wasn't crimeHeadline from KOB 4 · 39 outlets
  4. House GOP votes to hold AG Garland in contempt of CongressHeadline from UPI · 60 outlets

May 2024

  1. White House Blocks Biden's Special Counsel Interview ReleaseHeadline from Time · 45 outlets
  2. GOP advances Garland contempt charges after White House exerts executive privilege over Biden audioHeadline from Bowling Green Daily News · 20 outlets

April 2024

  1. Democratic donors paid more than $1M for Biden's legal bills for special counsel probe - The Daily ReporterHeadline from Green Field Reporter · 21 outlets
  2. DOJ refuses to fork over audio of Biden’s interview with special counsel, despite contempt threatHeadline from New York Post · 6 outlets

March 2024

  1. Republicans threaten to hold A.G. Merrick Garland in contempt over Biden documents caseHeadline from Washington Times · 10 outlets
  2. Hur said Biden couldn’t recall when his son died. The interview transcript is more complicated.Headline from The Boston Globe · 25 outlets
  3. Special counsel Hur testifies about his Biden documents investigationHeadline from Delaware Public Media · 61 outlets

February 2024

  1. House GOP chairs subpoena Justice Department for information related to Biden documents investigationHeadline from CNN · 8 outlets
  2. Special counsel who questioned Biden’s memory to testify at House hearingHeadline from WFMZ Allentown · 6 outlets
  3. Robert Hur, special counsel in Biden documents case, to testify before Congress on March 12Headline from CBS News · 8 outlets
  4. Harris calls special counsel’s comments on Biden’s memory ‘gratuitous’ and ‘politically motivated’Headline from The Boston Globe · 15 outlets
  5. Biden slams special counsel Hur for raising son Beau’s deathHeadline from CNN · 19 outlets
  6. Fact check: Biden makes three false claims about his handling of classified informationHeadline from CNN · 7 outlets
  7. Biden angrily pushes back at special counsel’s report that questioned his memory, handling of docsHeadline from Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier · 90 outlets
  8. Special counsel alleged Biden couldn’t recall personal milestones. His response: ‘My memory is fine’Headline from Omaha World-Herald · 24 outlets
  9. Biden and Trump: How the two classified documents investigations came to different endingsHeadline from The Republic · 16 outlets

October 2023

  1. Biden interviewed as part of special counsel investigation into handling of classified documentsHeadline from Bangor Daily News · 54 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →