Trump Reportedly Seeks Release Of Biden's Robert Hur Interview Audio

The Trump administration is reportedly planning to release audio of Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who had investigated the handling of classified documents by the ex-president and raised questions about his mental acuity.

Former U.S. President Biden has asserted executive privilege to prevent Congress from obtaining audio recordings of his interview, but the Trump government is currently making plans to release the audio, Politico reported Thursday, citing two Republicans briefed by top administration officials.

Biden camp prepares for the aftermath

The report further revealed that the former president's team was currently preparing for the possibility of the audio's release to the public, said two people familiar with the preparations and were granted anonymity to speak about the matter.

It is unclear whether the Biden camp will attempt to block the move, but in May 2024, the Justice Department under the Democratic leader said releasing the recordings would have a negative effect on witnesses who cooperated with law enforcement or other authorities for high-profile investigations.

The department also said at the time that it was Biden's "duty to safeguard the integrity and independence of Executive Branch law enforcement functions and protect them from undue partisan interference that could weaken those functions in the future."

Why the tapes matter

For Mike Davis, an occasional adviser to President Donald Trump, the audio "will confirm what is one of the biggest cover ups in American history."

Republicans have long questioned Biden's mental acuity and his ability to run the government, especially after he initially launched a second presidential campaign against Trump. He ended up dropping out of the race, and was replaced by then Vice President Kamala Harris.

Following Hur's report in February 2024, GOP lawmakers called for Biden's removal from office under the 25th Amendment, citing "alarming" details on Hur's report of the interview that raised "grave concerns" over the former president's leadership.

As per Hur's assessment of Biden, the criminal charges weren't necessary in the ex-president's handling of classified documents.

Still, Hur did note that Biden's memory had been, at times, "significantly limited" and that he sounded "hazy." The special counsel also noted that the president was a "well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory."

X reacts to news

Many users on Elon Musk's social media platform X were ecstatic to learn that the Trump government was looking to release the tapes.

"It needs to be clear just how dishonestly that issue was dealt with so those who lied about it won't be believed again," said one user.

One user said it "could be the end of Biden's political career" when the recordings are released to the public.

For one user, though, it appears the Trump camp was just seeking to "distract" the American public from real issues that need to be addressed.

Another user questioned the motive for releasing the tapes. "It's Trump's dementia we are currently worried about," the user argued, referring to rising concerns around the GOP strongman's mental acuity, given he is now 78 years old.

Biden was also 78 when he became the 46th U.S. president.