Politics

Biden classified documents probe shows few signs of ending soon: report

While former President Donald Trump has been indicted for allegedly mishandling classified White House documents, the federal probe into President Biden’s own handling of classified materials is not close to being wrapped up, according to a report.

Biden has not yet been interviewed by special counsel Robert Hur, who is investigating his handling of the classified material that was found at his Delaware home and private DC office, three people familiar with the matter told NBC News.

The president’s advisers have determined he would provide an interview once his legal team and the Justice Department agree on the conditions, the sources told the news outlet.

The federal probe into President Biden’s own handling of classified materials is not close to being wrapped up, according to a report. Bloomberg via Getty Images

In February, Biden dismissed the materials found at his property as simply “stray papers” that ended up there because of careless aides who packed up his White House office over a decade ago.

He argued that, unlike Trump, “no one has had to threaten to do anything” and that he didn’t have the documents “laid out” on the floor, with “top secret code word and all the rest” – a reference to the infamous FBI photograph of Trump’s classified White House papers at his Mar-a-Lago estate. 

Here's what to know about former President Donald Trump's federal indictment

Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to mishandling classified White House documents that were recovered at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Trump unlawfully kept hundreds of documents after leaving office — including papers detailing America’s conventional and nuclear weapons programs, potential weak points in US defenses, and plans to respond to a foreign attack, federal prosecutors charged Friday.

The 45th president stored boxes containing the documents throughout his estate, including “a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room,” according to a 49-page indictment filed in Miami federal court Thursday.


Follow The Post’s coverage of former President Trump’s federal indictment


The indictment against Trump was unsealed hours after the 77-year-old announced he had been charged by Jack Smith, the special counsel tapped in November to examine Trump’s retention of official documents at Mar-a-Lago.

The indictment is the former commander-in-chief’s second since leaving office and marks the first time in US history a former president has faced federal charges.

In April, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg related to hush-money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. 

READ MORE

Biden has said he was “cooperating fully and completely” with the Justice Department probe.

A spokesperson for Biden’s personal attorney, Bob Bauer, declined to comment to NBC News about its report.

The White House also declined to comment and referred questions to the Justice Department.

Robert Hur is investigating Biden’s handling of the classified material that was found at his Delaware home. TNS via Getty Images
Biden dismissed the materials found at his property as simply “stray papers” in February. AP

A rep for Hur also declined to comment to NBC News.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning.

Biden’s scandal was triggered by the discovery of at least a dozen classified documents at the Penn Biden Center in November, which the White House had kept under wraps through the 2022 midterm elections and beyond.

The National Archives was blocked from informing the public about the initial discovery of classified documents by either the White House or the Department of Justice, a source previously confirmed to The Post.

News about the slow pace of the Biden probe comes as Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday over his alleged mishandling of classified White House materials and allegations that he tried to obstruct the government’s attempts to retrieve them.

He faces seven charges that carry a maximum 75-year prison sentence if convicted on all counts.

The charges include: willfully retaining the national defense documents, conspiring to obstruct justice, withholding the documents, corruptly concealing the records, concealing a document in a federal investigation, scheming to conceal, and making false statements, sources told ABC News.

All seven charges “break out from an Espionage Act charge,” his lawyer Jim Trusty confirmed to CNN.

A statement by President Joe Biden’s personal attorney Bob Bauer is pictured from Jan. 21, 2023. AP
News about the slow pace of the Biden probe comes as Trump was indicted on Thursday over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. AFP via Getty Images

Trump has claimed he declassified everything that came from the White House, adding that a president has the authority to declassify material “even by thinking about it.” 

The 45th president lashed out about the indictment on his Truth Social account Thursday.

“The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax,” Trump wrote in his post, in which he assailed Biden’s handling of classified material.

“The Biden-appointed Special Counsel has INDICTED me in yet another witch hunt regarding documents that I had the RIGHT to declassify as President of the United States,” he wrote.

“I’m an innocent person,” Trump added. “I did nothing wrong. And we will fight this out just like we’ve been fighting for seven years. It would be wonderful if we could devote our full time to making America great again.”

li,.wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag .inline-module--more--list ul>li{padding-left:unset}.wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag .inline-module--follow ul>li:before,.wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag .inline-module--more--list ul>li:before{content:none}

Follow Lee on X/Twitter - Father, Husband, Serial builder creating AI, crypto, games & web tools. We are friends :) AI Will Come To Life!

Check out: eBank.nz (Art Generator) | Netwrck.com (AI Tools) | Text-Generator.io (AI API) | BitBank.nz (Crypto AI) | ReadingTime (Kids Reading) | RewordGame | BigMultiplayerChess | WebFiddle | How.nz | Helix AI Assistant